Camille
by Sakura's Pointe Shoes
Summary: ANNA AND THE KING Anna Leonowens leaves Siam, but she herself is ignorant of the secret she carries. Her story is told through a series of letters and memories. Lots of drama, angst, smut and fluff.
1. Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

**Title:** Camille

**Summary:** Anna leaves Siam, torn between her heart and her mind, but she herself is ignorant of the secret she carries.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Anna and the King, the characters or the diaries of Anna Leonowens.

* * *

**Chapter One: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow**

* * *

(August 1867) 

_Chirp, chirp, chirp._

The crickets sang loudly in a collective murmur. Such an inane sound she'd taken for granted. Regret gripped a tight hand around her heart.

She was sitting on the armchair near the window that offered a view of the garden. Her garden. Her garden full of beautiful, exotic plants, ones she'd tended to herself when she wasn't teaching. She watched a tiny hummingbird flit past, its wings beating furiously in a continuous blur. A small smile curved her lips upward. Many a time had she imagined such freedom, possessing that kind of liberty. No obligations, no worries, no regulations, no meaningless words that were knives to the soul...If only she could be as free as that little hummingbird and fly right up past the clouds...

_Chirp, chirp, chirp._

The sound of the cricket's crooning penetrated her reverie. Realization struck her mind as she rose from the armchair. She ran her hands over her voluminous skirts, smoothing out the wrinkles. She steeled herself for her imminent departure to England.

Her heart felt as empty and cold as the house she was deserting.

With heavy footsteps, Anna Leonowens emerged from her house. Moonshee and Bebe followed with Louis in tow. They watched Anna with cautious eyes, but they all knew better than to say anything when she was in so somber a mood. It would most likely earn them a stern reprimand.

Without a backward glance, Anna strode purposefully forward, clutching her suitcase and parasol. She stepped into the rickshaw, belying any fatigue she might have felt. She herself was scarcely aware of the tears that trickled down her cheeks.

* * *

The port was alive and bustling with activity. Conversations and outbursts from the crude fishermen drowned out her morose thoughts, her ear could now understand the Siamese being spoken around her. Anna gazed around at the sight, she felt claustrophobic and nauseated, there were simply too many people. She had to push and shove to get into line for tickets for their ship, not really feeling very sorry at all at her rudeness. No one was likely to notice anyway. 

When the person ahead of them was purchasing their ticket, Beebe dared to ask if she were alright.

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you!" She snapped, frazzled, before she stepped up and ordered their tickets. She paid quickly, thanking the man in Siamese, as she turned around and distributed their tickets among them.

"Now, the ship leaves in thirty minutes. We shall wait here in the mean time. You three should find something to eat before we leave, I think I see some kind of restaurant over there," She motioned vaguely with her hand, " I shall join you after I make sure the luggage is secured." Her voice sounded reasonably strong, with that same underlying tone of authority. Louis looked at her oddly, instinctively knowing that she was not herself, but he was too afraid to test the waters. Moonshee and Bebe whisked him away to find food, their words lost in the racket as they walked away from her.

She made her way to the ship, pestering the men loading her belongings. They grunted and basically ignored her so she decided to trust fate and leave it alone. Her eyes wandered farther down the docks, curiosity compelled her to explore it. She went to the farthest edge of the dock and stood alone by the wooden balustrade. She took a deep breath, chest heaving with the effort to breathe against the tight lacing of her gown.

How she wished she could stay, a fleeting pang of foreboding struck her, she was so tired of running from country to country.

For once in her life, Anna knew where she belonged, yet here she was, running away again. She also felt guilty for dragging Louis around as well, they had never really had a permanent home. She rubbed her dry eyes, grateful for the fact that she was at least able to regain control of her tears.

* * *

He had seen her as she stood there, watching the murky ocean water below as the waves gently broke onto the rocks. She was never difficult to locate what with her starkly unusual attire and fair golden hair. 

No one had batted an eyelid when they saw a cloaked man approach the European woman from behind. Everyone assumed it was her companion, it was not a strange occurrence. The people overlooked the two figures standing on the dock, one covered and unrecognizable, the other facing the ocean.

Anna startled violently when she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck. He placed his arms around her waist, holding her snugly to steady her. In an instant she recognized his touch.

"You frightened me, Your Majesty. I did not hear you come near." She whispered, barely able to hear anything at all past her racing pulse.

"I apologize, Anna." He sounded so vulnerable, so tender were his words.

"It is more than alright." Now that she had regained her composure, she turned to face him while remaining ensconced in his embrace. Anna gazed up into his eyes adoringly. She was captivated by the strong curve of his clean jaw, the smoldering heat in his eyes and the underlying strength of his taut muscles.

He slowly began to lean toward her, she watched his lips with unshuttered desire. They kissed unabandonedly, his tongue gently probing her mouth as she moaned softly. He traced intoxicating patterns on the small of her back.

To his eternal delight, she reached up and placed her hand at the nape of his neck, holding him as he kissed her. With her other hand, she caressed his cheek.

She pulled back, short of breath, as the ship that was about to take her away pulled into the harbor and blew its horn.

"King thought you would try to leave without saying goodbye." He chastised, "Had to make sure this would not happen."

"We said our goodbyes the other night. I honestly believed it would be easier that way, but I cannot say I am not glad you came."

She could have died then, she saw the crowd of other passengers preparing to board out of the corner of her eye.

"I have to go." Anna's words from the night on the balcony haunted them both. Mongkut tightened his grip on her even as she tried to disentangle herself from him.

"Your Majesty, you are not making this any easier for either of us." She said a little crossly, in a tone that was too inadvertently sultry for his libido.

He buried his face in her sweet smelling hair, relishing the fact that she didn't seem eager to be released.

"Really, Your Majesty." She murmured, this time she really meant it. Anytime, Moonshee, Beebe and Louis could see her, coddling with a hooded man on the docks.

"I promise I'll write. You promise to write me back." Anna tried to lighten the mood with a shaky smile.

He nodded, a wistful expression bent his thick eyebrows downward.

"Of course. Good luck, Ma'am." He straightened to his full height and stepped back.

"Thank you for everything, Your Majesty," Anna flicked her gaze downwards and back up at him again, ignorant of how the gesture stirred up immense affection in his heart, "For everything...Mongkut."

While she emphasized the word 'everything,' she also said his given name in a voice that clearly held nothing but the deepest respect for him. He could not help but yield to his impulse, he grabbed her roughly and kissed her briefly once more.

Without another word, she backed away and turned around, setting off to find the rest of her party. Mongkut watched the woman he loved as she boarded the ship, a twisting, stinging sensation pained his heart behind his sternum.

* * *

_It should never have began. Their affair had blossomed through a flurry of kisses, secret glances, and arguments that ended like a release of the stormiest lovemaking any royal court had ever seen. That was one of the reasons why she was so intriguing to him, she was the first woman he ever knew could hold her own against him, the King of Siam._ _In the beginning of her presence in his household, he found her arrogant, but as time passed and he learned her character, he was pleased at what he found._

_She remembered the first time she became aware of their mutual attraction. She had arrived in May, it was now mid June, and the more the days passed, the more she grew to like the king. It had been when she was rearranging the furniture of the classroom, he had wandered inside and found her struggling to move the desks. They were made of heavy mahogany wood, he would have been surprised if she_ had_ been able to move them herself._

_At first, Mongkut had been content to watch her, trying to push with all her might. She growled in frustration and resorted to lifting each edge of the desk in order to move it where she wanted it. Unfortunately, she was still unsuccessful in her endeavor. He watched dismay distort her features. She slumped as she sat atop of the stubborn piece of furniture. She looked like a caged lioness, her temper simmering just beneath the surface._

_That was when he decided to make his presence known. He stepped forward, causing her to jump in surprise._

_"Hello, Your Majesty." The schoolteacher's words ended on a slightly higher pitch note, she asked a question through a declarative statement, 'What are you doing here?'_

_"Good afternoon, Ma'am. King was taking a stroll through gardens, could not help but witness your trouble." He moved to stand in front of her, looking at the way the light reflected off of her red-gold hair. She wore it half up, half down, the loose ends curling slightly at the bottom. He thought she looked much lovelier when she wore her hair in this way, the style softened the sharp angles of her face and made her look more womanly. Of course, she always looked strikingly beautiful no matter what, but now, she was even more irresistible than usual._

_"Yes, these desks are indelibly stubborn. No matter how much I try to move them, they simply will not budge!" Anna cried as she winced and brought a hand to her neck. He watched her with some curiosity as she tried to massage her neck, her arm positioned awkwardly. _

_"Are you sore, Ma'am?" Mongkut himself was surprised at his bold inquiry. She looked up at him then, her eyes questioning, as she cautiously replied. _

_"Just a little. I slept badly last night, and I have the ache in my neck and shoulders to prove it." She continued to massage her neck, but it was clearly in vain. He imagined she did not feel any better at all. Silently, he moved to stand behind her, and she half turned to see what he was doing._

_"Allow me, Ma'am. King understands your discomfort, I will try to relieve you of it," His words came out in a soothing murmur, she did not protest like she normally would have. The humidity of Bangkok was getting to her._

_She waited tensely as he moved her hair out of the way. He placed his long hands on her shoulders. Despite the heat, she tried not to shiver as he began to massage her knotted skin through the cotton material of her dress. His strong thumbs grazed her muscles, undoing all the tightness and pain. Closing her eyes, Anna slowly relaxed into his touch, welcomed it shamelessly as he moved from her shoulders to her neck. He moved his thumbs to the base of her spine, touching her directly on her bare skin. _

_She gasped softly in pleasure at the contact, which caused his blood to thrum with arousal. He focused even more on pleasing her, he wanted more than anything to make her feel good. He was rewarded with throaty moans and sighs, his dexterous fingers dancing all over her fair skin. He was even more surprised when Anna arched into his touch, seemingly craving more. She was nearly purring by then, a sight he would always remember. He felt a touch of smugness that it was he who made her so content._

_He leaned down so close that his lips were nearly touching her ear._

_"Better?"_

_He felt her startle at their sudden proximity yet he did not remove his hands from her shoulders. He couldn't let go for the life of him._

_"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty." She said, feeling foolish about her unadulterated reaction to his massage. _

_"You are quite welcome, Ma'am." His words came out in a low groan, the sound made a very different sort of heat diffuse throughout her belly and lower regions._

_She stood up, her voluminous skirts provided a comfortable barrier between them once again. Her head was spinning, the memory of the way he touched her forever imprinted in her mind. She could not help but try to imagine what it would feel like he touched her body, made her skin tingle as he did only moments ago. She was torn, she did not want to become involved with this man for the sake of her reputation, but she craved him and his touch all the more._

_Glancing at him now, Anna could see a similar war playing out in his eyes. He looked as if he were about to ravish her senseless, but at the same time she could tell he did not want to cross the line by doing so. Exhaling slowly, she tried to calm her racing heart. It was so difficult to remain where she was standing, she felt as though there was an inevitable, invisible force that was surely propelling her toward him. She knew very little about his past, besides the fact that he spent half of his life in a monastery. She found that she wanted to learn everything about this man, about the child that had grown into such a handsome, intelligent monarch. _

_"Why are you staring in that manner?" Mongkut asked a little more forcefully than he intended. She blinked, snapping out of her reverie. _

_"You are the most insufferable man, as well as the most entrancing man I have ever known." Anna wanted to kick herself at the idiocy of her response. She observed his eyes as they widened imperceptibly._

_"You are the most forward woman I have ever known." He returned jokingly. He saw that he put her at ease by using gentle humor._

_"Well, as I have said before, being bold and English are two rather inseparable traits." The schoolteacher shifted her weight on her heels, noticing how tall he was for a Siamese man. He could easily give some Englishmen a run for their money. _

_"Yes, but now, they are more desirable than anything else." His voice dropped to a murmur at that. Anna knew her jaw had dropped, she could not believe what Mongkut had said. She fidgeted slightly, uncertain of the proper reply to such a remark. God knows, she was nearly giddy with elation, but in reality she knew it was not likely that he would pursue her romantically. _

_"What do you want from me?" She asked with a tiny quiver. _

_He did not say anything, but the look on his face adequately answered for him. _

_"Forgive me Ma'am, if I offended you-"_

_He turned on his heel and left the classroom, leaving a disappointed and slightly confused Anna Leonowens behind._

_

* * *

_

She sat up ramrod straight, that same damned tingly feeling making her acutely aware of the heat between her legs. Her whole room rocked, the waves beneath made her vision swim in and out of focus. Realization flooded her mind as she remembered that she was on the voyage to London from Siam. She peered outside her window, the darkness outside was offset by the flashes of lightning and the roaring of the thunder.

Sleep was impossible, especially because she kept dreaming about the early days of their affair.

"Oh God..." She groaned. Her stomach did a flip flop, she felt as though all of her organs were trying to dislodge themselves from their rightful places. Nausea had been constantly plaguing her for most of the journey, preventing her from eating virtually anything. The only thing she seemed to have a tolerance for were the stale biscuits from the ship's kitchens. Bebe had dutifully attended to her most of the time, but now Anna was alone and frightened. The storm ouside was the strongest she'd ever seen, she wondered briefly if they would even make it past Africa anytime soon at this rate. The worst that could happen was if they were blown hopelessly off course by this storm, but she had faith in the captain and the crew.

Turning over onto her side, she was helpless to the onslaught of longing to be back with Mongkut and the children. Her eyes welled up with tears at the memories of her time with him. More than anything, she wished she could see his face again. Her stomach seized again in a horrible cramp, the pain sending her over the edge. She began to sob, heart wrenching little cries into her pillow. Everything was completely wrong, her illness, the storm, the repeated rocking of the boat, and being away from _him._

The door creaked open suddenly, and someone hurried inside. Anna tried to regain control of her tears, she hated being seen like this. She felt the mattress sink as the unknown intruder took a seat at her bedside.

"Mother?" Louis' voice rang out. She immediately turned to face him with a watery smile on her face.

"Yes, dear? Why aren't you asleep?"

He sighed, a lot of maturity displayed on his childlike face. He was so young yet he already looked so much like his father. She motioned for him to lie down beside her.

"I heard you from my room. Are you alright, mother?" His concern was sweet, Anna couldn't help but wrap her arms around her son and hold him tight.

"I am feeling a bit peaky, darling, I should be fine by the morning."

"May I sleep here?" He asked, closing his eyes anyway.

"Mhmm. It's such a cold night." She murmured, also beginning to drift off to sleep.

This time when she slept, she dreamt of nothing.

* * *

Upon reaching London, Anna had moved back into the apartments she bought in the city. They had all settled in rather nicely, Louis more or less got over his melancholic mood. Anna also tried to behave normally, she kept her emotional outbursts to a minimum. 

She busied herself with the decorating and renovation of their home with Bebe's and Moonshee's assistance. She had arranged a job as a teacher at a local girl's school, so she would earn money through it.

She really was doing fine.

As fine as one could be, considering the circumstances. She only cried when she was alone, and the nausea had lessened somewhat since the voyage. It had not really improved her appetite however, and she still only ate minimally. The sight of any food at all made her stomach turn over.

Then one afternoon, she remembered her promise to Mongkut. It had been three months since she left and she had yet to put pen to paper. Seated at her oakwood desk, Anna decided to write to him.

_My dear M, _

_I made it home just fine. The voyage was terrible, and I fell somewhat ill during the trip. Beebe was very fussy, but that was to be expected. Louis misses Chulalongkorn, he has no one to share his adventures with. London is very dull, a gray city full of smoke and factories. There really are not very many friendly people, my neighbors do not care much for socialising, and I do not know anyone here._

_I am a teacher at a local school for girls, and it is still fulfilling but it does make my heart ache as I recall the bright and eager faces of all your children. I miss them terribly, if I may be frank. I miss you as well. I wish I had a portrait, just a miniature one in a locket, so I could see your face every once in a while._

_I honestly did not mean to sound as if I were complaining. Everything is going rather well, my daughter Avis has come to live with us, and she has grown into such a beautiful young woman. I wish you could meet her, she is a wonderfully intelligent, compassionate girl. She and Louis bicker, but I suppose that is the norm between older sisters and younger brothers._

_How are you? I hope you are doing well. Give my regards to Lady Thiang, I miss her company. It is outrageously cold and overcast here in London, I had grown so used to the heat in Siam that I have to cover up even more so than I usually do. This may or may not reach you for a very long time since the postal service is so unreliable. I just want you to know that I think of you often, and that my love for you has not diminished despite the great distance between us. _

_Please reply, unless you are too busy-_

_Sincerely yours,_

_A_

She was satisfied with her letter, so she put it into an envelope and sent it off to the Siamese consulate to be mailed to the palace in Bangkok.

* * *

Upon receiving Anna's letter, Mongkut had felt a rush of adrenaline. He retreated to his study where he could read it in private, away from the prying eyes of the Kralahome and his wives. He tore it open without hesitation. 

The sight of her familiar loopy cursive made him grin. Even her penmanship made his heart swell.

He relished every word, imagining that she was in the same room reading it to him. He missed her voice, her prim British accent and mannerisms, the way she would risk peeking up at him through her eyelashes. It had been very hard to endure the emptiness of her absence. He had recently been reading some of the books she gave to him as a gift on his birthday, among them was a collection of sonnets written by an English author named William Shakespeare. He happened to find one that reminded him so much of her that he wanted to copy it in a letter and send it to her.

_Dearest A,_

_I am very glad to finally receive your letter. All is well here. Cannot speak much of political matters in case message is intercepted. Chulalongkorn has finally adapted to new English teacher. Her name is Christianna Hardcastle, she arrived a few weeks after your departure. She is a warm young woman, with fair appearance and kind words, but she lacks your outright stubborness. She does not defend her opinions as fiercely as you do. In simple words, Miss Hardcastle is spineless. _

_I was vexed to hear about Ma'am's illness. Wish that I could be with you to nurse Ma'am back to health. London sounds so distant and most unwelcoming. I still believe you should come back to Bangkok, children's behavior in school might improve if Ma'am is with us once again. Because Miss Brinkley is so unassuming, children take advantage and play practical jokes all of the time especially during science lessons. Only you can prompt them to behave properly. Well, of course I could, but King cannot be with children every moment of day._

_Am glad that you have been reunited with daughter. She must be a lovely girl, with such a radiant woman as her mother. I would very much like to meet her one day, you may bring her to Siam along with Louis._

_If you truly wish to stay in Europe, will respect your wishes. I hope you find happiness, although I know mine can only be restored by the sight of you in person. For now, I am content with the many memories we created in the past year. I have been reading the sonnets you presented to me as a gift last October. This one perfectly captures the mood here in palace. _

How like a winter hath my absence been

From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!

What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen,

What old December's barreness everywhere!

And yet this time removed was summer's time,

The teeming autumn big with rich increase,

Bearing the wanton burden of the prime

Like widowed wombs after their lord's decease.

Yet this abundant issue seemed to me

But hope of orphans and unfathered fruit,

For summer and his pleasures wait on thee,

And thou away, the very birds are mute;

Or if they sing 'tis with so dull a cheer

That leaves look pale, dreading the winter's near.

_Siam has lost its luster without you, my love._

_M_

* * *

Anna read the sonnet with trembling hands. She had received his letter in the morning before she and Louis left for school but she hadn't opened it until now. Her hungry eyes devoured every word, she laughed when she read Mongkut's dry description of her successor. A pang of longing shot through her as she realised the sonnet he included in his missive was one from a collection she gave to him. On some lazy afternoons, she remembered they used to take turns reading to each other as they lay entwined beneath the bedclothes. A memory that had been otherwise forgotten surfaced from the dusty corners of her mind. 

_(late June, 1862)_

_"I wish we could stay like this forever." She sighed. He looked down at her and smiled crookedly. She looked perfectly at home in his arms, her head rested on his shoulder. Her impossibly long hair tickled his smooth chest as her warm skin covered him. He idly stroked her forearms, desire to have her again made him ache. They had tumbled into bed even though it was only five 'o clock. Their joining had been frenzied and ecstatic, she did not bother to stifle her screams of passion, much to his delight. The entire Royal household was outside playing croquet and frolicking on the green lawns in front of the palace. No one but them remained indoors because it was such a beautiful day, they did not have to worry about being overheard. Mongkut claimed he had some correspondence he needed to catch up on, so he would not join them outside._

_"I do too..." His lips found her earlobe and nibbled gently at it. She sighed happily and leaned back. His hands moved from her forearms to the plane of her flat stomach, and upwards to the soft undersides of her breasts. Ever so lightly, he ran his palms over her breasts, eliciting a gasp from her. He knew she wanted to turn around in his embrace, but he held her in place so he could continue his quest. He reveled in the way she arched her back in an attempt to further melt into his touch, how clearly the lust showed on her face. He was always awed by her willingness to surrender control to him when they made love._

_His fingers barely avoided her nipples, which earned him an impatient groan, and then came up to trace the line of her clavicle. He loved the exquisite delicateness of her neck, the way her jaw curved effortlessly into her long graceful neck. It was too much for him, he encouraged her to turn over. She immediately did so and captured his lips in a wet kiss. Her tongue darted out to taste him, licking his bottom lip as he opened up to her. He could feel so much intensity in the way her lips explored and tasted his own, it was heady and delicious, it made him pull her body even closer to his. She was everything his wives were not, she was worldly yet pristine, wise as someone beyond her years yet she possessed the heart of a fighter._

_The contradictions she embodied made her who she was. _

_"You are a goddess," He declared as he rubbed the tops of her creamy thighs._

_"Hardly, but thank you for the compliment." She scoffed. _

_"You are _my _goddess." He said with emphasis. "Say it, Anna. That you are mine and mine alone."_

_"I am yours, always yours..." _

_Urgency gripped him in that moment, he grasped her hips and plunged inside her. She cried out at the sudden motion, but soon she was gyrating her hips, bringing them both undeniable pleasure. Her eyes glowed as she placed both hands on his chest for leverage. He thrust upwards, increasing their speed, and she was only too happy to oblige him. The little sounds she made in the back of her throat added fuel to his raging inferno, her gratification made him want to bring her even higher, make her scream his name again-_

_"Ah-oh yes, ohhh!" She exclaimed. He felt his own release approach, her internal muscles spasmed wildly around him, coaxing him to follow her off the edge into the abyss. He kept thrusting, prolonging her orgasm, until he could not hold off any longer. Everything around them seemed to fade, he kept his gaze focused only on her as she bucked on top of him. He exploded inside of her, filling her womb with his seed, and vaguely he realized he should have pulled out like he had done all the other times. Despite his carelessness, he found he did not- or could not- regret it. The feeling of finishing inside of her was one he would always cherish._

_They were both panting harshly as she came down to kiss him. _

_She raised herself up off his body and repositioned herself next to him, snuggling close as she rested her right arm over his chest. Neither of them said anything as the haziness of their orgasms faded away. Something caught her eye though, she quirked a questioning eyebrow as he wondered what was so fascinating. He turned and realized she was staring at the book on his bedside table. He reached for it and picked it up._

_"King was in need of good reading material." He chuckled as her eyes widened._

_"I gave you this. You said there was no place for silly love poems amongst your collection!!" Her eyes were gleeful and also accusing._

_He must have looked sheepish as he told her that he was rather intrigued by the eloquent words of William Shakespeare. Anna smiled so brightly at that, she noticed some of the pages were book marked. Questioningly, she opened it up and her eyes fell upon Sonnet 116. She turned back to look at him._

_"I thought of you when I first read it. King hopes you do not think him to be too sappy." _

_She ran her fingers over the page, silently reading the familiar poem to herself, when he stopped her._

_"Please, Anna. Read aloud?"_

_With a nod, she began, _

_"Let me not to the marriage of true minds  
Admit impediments. Love is not love  
Which alters when it alteration finds,  
Or bends with the remover to remove:_

_O no! it is an ever-fixed mark  
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;  
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,  
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken._

_Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks  
Within his bending sickle's compass come;  
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,  
But bears it out even to the edge of doom:_

_If this be error and upon me proved,  
I never writ, nor no man ever loved."_

_When she finished, she sighed and rested her head on his broad shoulder._

_"Someone's bound to walk in here accidentally and discover that we lay about exchanging romantic sonnets. What would we do then?" She stretched her legs languidly, reminding him of a sleepy cat._

_"No one can walk inside, Anna. The doors are locked, the windows shut. Even if they did, they could not possibly see through the bed curtains." He motioned at the burgundy gauze curtains that were so thick one could not see through them even if they stood with their faces pressed against them._

_"Oh, right. Sorry," She giggled. Rarely did she emit such a lighthearted noise, it was melodious and tinkling, like a little silver bell._

_He closed his eyes but did not doze off. She must have thought he did because she turned to another page and began to read, albeit more softly this time. He recognized her selection as a work of Elizabeth Barret Browning, another English poet._

_"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.  
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height  
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight  
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.  
I love thee to the level of everyday's  
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.  
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;  
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.  
I love thee with a passion put to use  
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.  
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose  
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,  
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,  
I shall but love thee better after death."_

_He listened as she closed the book and set it aside. She nestled back into his arms and the both of them slept, blissfully sated. She did not see the smile that graced his lips._

_

* * *

_

It was now four months since Anna had left Siam. At the time of her departure, she knew nothing of the impending events that would further change her life forever. She now knew why she had been so ill during the voyage. Why she still had no appetite. Why she was prone to headaches, stomach cramps and had not experienced her menstrual cycle for quite a long time.

Anna Leonowens was with child.

* * *

**TBC...**


	2. Startling Revelations

**Title:** Camille

**A/N:** Here's chapter two! R and R please!! I don't own Anna, King Mongkut or any other character except for one that has not entered the story yet and she is definitely an OC. This is just for fun.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Startling Revelations**

* * *

(September 1862)

_The night of the anniversary dinner could have been very entertaining, if not torturous. He was forced to maintain polite conversation with many different people, whether they were with his own military officials or the overbearing English guests, he remained charming as he could manage. He mingled as was expected of him, he danced and laughed and ate and talked even though all he could think about was the way _she _had sashayed so confidently and attractively up the staircase, causing heads to turn and jaws to drop. He would have been amused by all the sudden attention the surrounding males had directed her way if he was not so fiercely gripped by a wave of possessiveness at her sudden appearance._

_Throughout dinner, he had risked glances at her. She was also laughing gaily, appearing to be enjoying herself as she discussed subjects he was not really paying attention to with some Englishman he had not been introduced to._ _He had to struggle to remain controlled and cool, he could not help the occasional clenching of his jaw as he watched the Englishman attempt to charm his woman with his wit and dashing demeanor. He disguised his foul mood as best he could, but things took an inevitable turn toward the worst when Mycroft Kincaid, of the British East India Trading Company went so far as to insist that the English were a more superior race than the Siamese._

_Everyone within earshot froze, English and Siamese alike, all fearful of the reaction of the King to so callous a remark. He was saved from having to reply by her, she who shot up from her seat with righteous indignation. All of his grumpy thoughts were erased from his mind when he realized that she was defending him, his nation, and his people to one of her own race. He grinned at her with amazed gratitude and then dinner commenced as if it had never been interrupted in the first place._

_As the dinner wound down to an end and everyone was more or less finished eating, he rose to his full height and called for the musicians. He announced that there would be dancing, as European custom dictated there would be after dinner. In the spur of the moment, he held out his hand in a gentlemanly fashion across the table to her. He watched uncertainly as she looked positively shocked at his boldness. Fear, surprise, and most of all, happiness seemed to flicker across her face at his gesture. He knew everyone around them had been expecting him to first escort the Lady Thiang out onto the floor, but any thoughts of Lady Thiang had escaped his mind as he gently took hold of her hand and they descended the staircase._

_Despite her initial reluctance, she slowly began to relax and became infinitely more graceful and light in his arms. He was gratified to feel her trust as they moved, and he was positively hypnotised by the low neckline of her beautiful gown, her enticing collarbones, shoulders and the very tops of her breasts teasing him unrelentlessly. If he could, he would have called the night to an end and whisked her off to his bedchamber if he were not bound by diplomatic courtesies. He could practically feel the disapproving looks the Kralahome and General Alak were throwing his way._

_"Your Majesty?" Her voice called him back to reality. His feet still kept perfect time however, he found that English dancing was not as hard as it looked after he had learned it under her tutleage._

_"Yes?" He had to stop himself before he began spewing endearments that had somehow become attached to her name._

_"Are you alright?" There was concern in her bright eyes. _

_"Yes, of course," He said steadily, but he lowered his head so that he could whisper in a more intimate tone, "However, King is finding it very difficult to maintain rational thought processes when he is holding such a delectable beauty in his arms."_

_He took pleasure in seeing her blush. She could not respond in kind however, when they were suddenly stopped by an unwelcome intruder. _

_It was that twice damned Englishman she had been talking to earlier, who was now asking her for a dance. She glanced from him back to the King, silently asking his permission. He nodded and released her to the other man, albeit reluctantly. She was taken from him, but the look in her eyes before she whirled away was one of promise to make it up to him later. _

_That did not however, prevent from making his blood boil as he watched the Englishman as he placed his hands on her waist and lower back, looking as if he had every right to touch her like that. Mongkut watched as he moved three times around the dance floor, making her laugh and smile in a way that she usually only did to him. He found the sight utterly appalling, she appeared to be quite attracted to the man! He huffed angrily and dragged his nearest wife out to dance, hoping that the activity would take his mind off of the infuriating woman._

_As soon as the night came to an end, finally, he approached her. She bade the Englishman goodnight and as he was leaving, he said, "I did not have the good fortune of properly meeting that gentleman." She was still smiling when she turned to finally look at him._

_"Oh, his name is William Ormonde. He was a friend of mine as well as my husband's." She looked down at her clasped hands when she said that. He raised his eyebrow, but he was hesitant to reach out to her because they were out in the open still. In public, they carried on as if they were barely more than acquaintances, and he was starting to find the facade very taxing._

_"He seemed to think he was more than just your friend." He could not help the inkling of scorn that crept into his tone._

_"He proposed to me once, when I was younger. We write to each other every so often. I was pleasantly surprised to encounter him here." The fondness she displayed for the man irritated him considerably._

_"I will not come to you tonight." At that, she frowned in disappointment._

_"Why not?" _

_He averted his eyes from her, feeling some sense of smugness at the dismay on her face._

_"King has important things to attend to." He announced without elaborating. He knew he sounded distant and even somewhat cold, but he could not stop himself, it was as if someone else had taken over his body and was bent on making her feel as he did when he watched her dancing with William Ormonde._

_"Oh. I see..." He did however, feel a pang of guilt as he saw hurt in her eyes. _

_"Good night Ma'am." He turned around and began walking to the grand staircase and back into the palace. _

_

* * *

_

_The next morning, she had woken up feeling alone and depressed, the complete opposite as she had imagined she would feel after such a splendid ball._

_She ate breakfast, washed up, got dressed and assembled her school materials with a mechanical detachment. She smiled at Louis as she straightened out his outfit and waved goodbye to Beebe as they left the house._

_Upon arriving at the palace, Anna was greeted by a classroom full of eager students. Fa-Ying had been the only one who actually ran up to her and launched herself into her arms. She barely had time to put her briefcase down before the little girl had tightly wrapped both arms around her waist._

_Her heart was touched by the young princess' display of affection. _

_"Good morning Fa Ying."_

_"Good morning Ma'am Schoolteacher Anna." The little face stared up at her, smiling widely with two perfect dimples on either cheek. _

_"I am very happy to see you, darling, but why don't you take a seat so that we may start class? I promise you all extra art time if we can get everything I have planned accomplished. Yes?" She glanced around at all of her pupils, who were all wide eyed with excitement at the thought of extra drawing time._

_"Yes, Ma'am."_

_Fa Ying released her hold of her and ran back to her desk. Anna opened her bag and pulled out her books and lesson plans when she caught sight of Ladies Phim and Thiang hurrying down the path that led to the school. _

_When they reached the classroom, Lady Thiang immediately explained herself._

_"Forgive us for being tardy, Ma'am Schoolteacher, Lady Phim was not to be awakened until much later this morning," She moved closer to murmur in Anna's ear, "Lady Phim was with King last night."_

_She pulled back but she did not notice the grief stricken look that flashed through Anna's face. She heard the implication behind Lady Thiang's veiled words. The schoolteacher merely nodded, appearing a bit absentminded. She allowed Lady Phim to adjourn to her seat as Lady Thiang went to pass out the books to the children._

_Anna managed to move to her desk and fall with a thud onto her hard wooden chair. Never in all the time they had been in an intimate relationship had he gone back to his concubines, until now apparently. She felt like she was being ripped apart mercilessly as she remembered his coldly aloof behavior from the previous night. _

This is what comes from loving a king, _Her inner voice scolded her._

_She carried on, hiding her broken heartedness as any cuckolded wife would do, as many cuckolded wives had done before her._

_

* * *

_

_Anna had just finished lunch, by herself, in the classroom. She was grading work as she ate some sliced fruit, her mind adequately distracted from its earlier shock. She realized that as king, Mongkut was duty bound to impregnate his wives and have more heirs for the Siamese throne. Bitterly, she found she could not accept it no matter how many times she told herself he did care about her._

_If he cared about her, why did he push her away the night of the anniversary party?_

_She decided that she would not run crying to him, she would not give him the satisfaction of letting him know he hurt her._

_As her thoughts swirled in anger and resentment, she was startled to feel something-or rather someone- climb onto her lap and settle themself comfortably._

_"What are you doing?" _

_It was Fa-Ying again. Anna put down her fountain pen and grinned at the little girl._

_"I was marking some papers. But I can always do that later. What may I do for you, Fa-Ying?"_

_She twisted her body around so she could face Anna, placing her tiny hands on Anna's forearms._

_"I want to tell you a secret, Ma'am Anna." She looked positively mischievous, with a glint in her dark eyes. Anna saw so much of her father in her, the way she smiled and flicked her eyes to and fro. _

_"Alright. I promise not to tell anyone."_

_Fa-Ying nodded at that and leaned in close._

_"I want you to be my mother." She whispered with a small giggle._

_Anna sat, dumbstruck, at the earnestness of the princess' admission. She continued to listen to the little girl's excited ramblings, her heart swelling with love for the child she already began to regard as a daughter._

_"...and we shall all live together in summer palace, go on trips on the river, play with monkeys, have lessons and read fairytales, and you and me and father will be very happy, all the time!" She cried, and then promptly burrowed her face in Anna's neck. She hugged her very tightly, with a strength Anna would not have guessed such a small person possessed._

_"That sounds lovely Fa-Ying, but..." She was at a complete loss as to what to say to such a proclamation._

_"Don't you want to stay with us forever?" Fa-Ying's lower lip trembled._

_"Well, of course I do darling..." She trailed off, hugging the young girl tightly to her as if she were indeed her mother._

_"I'm glad, Ma'am Anna. Father would be very sad if you ever left." Her words were slightly muffled, but Anna still heard them. She kissed Fa-Ying's forehead in spite of herself._

_They both jumped when they heard a cough from the entrance of the classroom._

_She wished the ground would open and swallow her up. It was Mongkut, looking just as dumbstruck as she felt. _

_"Fa-Ying, I think you should go inside and finish your lunch." He said in a tone that brooked no argument._

_The girl hopped off her lap without another word and dashed out of the classroom and into the palace. Mongkut watched her until she disappeared and then turned back to look at Anna, who was still sat behind her desk._

_"How long were you standing there?" She asked stiffly._

_"Long enough." _

_He moved to stand directly in front of her. Anna fought the instinct to fidget._

_"How...how are you?" He asked tentatively._

_She pursed her lips at that, clasping her hands together._

_"Perfectly fine. And yourself? Had a restful evening did you?" She bit out._

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"The Lady Phim. I was told she was with you last night."_

_His mouth opened and closed, as if in understanding. _

_"Ah. I...I am sorry I did not tell Ma'am first about newest wife in palace." He was genuinely apologetic, but this had no effect whatsoever on the magnitude of her contempt._

_"Well, thank you for informing me that I am no longer of any importance to you. I suppose you wouldn't want to see me anymore. I mean, what do you need me for? One more wife for you, no need for the English harlot now-"_

_Her words were full of self loathing, they made him cringe with remorse at inflicting so much pain at her. _

_"Anna, stop. You are no harlot, you are an honorable woman. I love you."_

_She let out a cheerless laugh, harsh and grating to the ears._

_"You do not love me. If you loved me, you would not have hurt me so! You-you would not have...Oh God..." She collapsed onto her knees, her chest heaving with sobs she had repressed since the morning. He sank onto the floor with her, pulling her into his embrace._

_She protested, flinging her fists at him unsuccessfully, wailing with despair._

_He rocked her gently, whispering soothing words, stroking her hair softly until she calmed down and went limp in his arms._

_"It is so hard, Your Majesty. I know well that I cannot demand your fidelity..." She faltered and stared at him fearfully._

_"I am sorry Anna." He apologized again. _

_She sniffled and another tear fell from her eye._

_"I know you are. Can we forgive each other?" _

_He exhaled in relief and smiled, the expression on his face was like a balm to her wounded soul._

_"Of course."_

_Neither said anything as they simply sat there on the floor together._

_

* * *

_

(September, 1867)

She had first realized she was pregnant when she noticed the swollen appearance of her normally flat abdomen. She stood before her vanity mirror and saw how it curved ever so slightly, protruding outward. Everything seemed to fall into place like pieces of a puzzle.

With quivering hands and a dazed look on her face, she continued to stroke her belly, for the first time acknowledging the miniscule lifeform within her womb. Panic seized her, this was the worst possible explanation of her illness. How was she supposed to explain her miracle pregnancy to her family, how was she to earn any income when she would be virtually incapacitated for the next several months?

How on Earth was she supposed to tell Mongkut, the King of all Siam, the father of her baby, about it? The thought of telling him made her head swim. He would most likely stop writing to her, for fear that someone would find out and expose him and his family to gossip and shame. The last thing she wanted was for him to cut her out of his life forever. That would be the end of her life as she knew it.

She fell back upon the cushy chintz chair of her vanity. She wore nothing but her underthings, with her shift pulled up to her chest. Her breasts were fuller and tender, they hurt a little when she moved too quickly and she instinctively protected her chest everytime she might have accidentally brushed against someone as she passed them.

She should have recognized the signs earlier, after all, she had borne two healthy children and carried two before that, even though she miscarried. Anna desperately hoped she would not miscarry this child, even though she realized all the hardships it would cause for her, she wanted the child no matter what. It would break her heart if God chose to bring the little life into Heaven instead of letting it be born.

"What am I going to do?" She whispered down at her stomach. She sighed and pulled her shift back down to cover herself. She glanced at her ivory wardrobe and grimaced at the thought of having to don a corset.

At that moment, she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She immediately straightened and called out, "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal Avis and Beebe, looking simultaneously concerned and skittish.

"Mother, I sent a telegram to the school. They've given you the day off." Avis proclaimed, looking at her with her trademark steely gaze.

"What? What did you tell them?" Anna barked demandingly, although she felt rather foolish sitting there in her underclothes. She felt stripped of all authority in front of her headstrong daughter, a complete carbon copy of herself.

"That you were not feeling well, like you have been feeling for many weeks now."

She opened her mouth to protest but Beebe cut her off.

"Memsahib, we know exactly what you are hiding. Believe us, it did not take long for us to put two and two together."

The blood drew out of her face, she watched horrified as her daughter and her loyal servant exchanged worried looks.

She could not bring herself to say anything, which was more than fine since Avis plunged right on.

"Mother, I notice that you take care not to touch any red meat at meals, and the sight of mince meat, once your favorite thing, makes you cringe in disgust. You sleep in every morning, which you _never_ do."

Beebe joined in. "Yes, I remember very clearly that you behaved like this when you were pregnant with Avis as well as Louis."

"It cannot be possible, it is probably just a phase, it will go away-" Anna trailed off weakly, even though it was painfully obvious that she was indeed with child. Her belly was not hidden by the thin cotton shift, if one looked closely they could notice the outline of her bump.

Her shoulders slumped with dejection at their accusing eyes, she could not bear to look at them.

She began to shake slightly, as she attempted to explain herself.

"It was never meant to happen...Not like this. But, I couldn't help myself, you see? I-it..." She started to weep, honestly and openly, her sadness apparent. Her appearance totally contrasted with the cheerful facade she had been keeping up for so long. She allowed herself to cry in front of her daughter and her servant.

"Oh, mother!" Avis swept down compassionately and encased her mother's delicate frame in her arms, hugging her tightly. Beebe's eyes began to tear up as well when she realized who the father must have been. She was the only one besides Anna who knew the circumstances of the child's conception. At first, she attributed the cause of her mistress' physical illness to the change in weather and environment, but now she knew the truth.

The three women wept, all wondering what the future would bring.

* * *

TBC...

* * *

**A/N:** Please review!!!! 


	3. New Developments

**Title:** Camille 

**A/N:** Okay, I did some research on how long Anna stayed in Siam and from what I understand she arrived in late May 1862 and left in August 1867. She had lived in Siam for five years, moved back to England in October 1867. Also, in my fic, I've made Anna twenty nine, and Mongkut thirty three. (I know that historically, I'm WAYY off, but hey this is fan fiction, right?) Anyway, please r and r, and most of all, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter Three: **New Developments

* * *

Life had a funny way of turning itself upside down and twisting in every direction least expected. Anna knew this, it was a fact, but she always took it for granted. She had been taking a nap in her sitting room when Avis entered the room with a telegram for her. She opened it and read it immediately, thinking it might have been from the school where she was currently employed. Anxiety had been plaguing her, she had not quite worked out how she would support her family throughout her pregnancy. 

_October 20th, 1867_

_Dear Mrs. Leonowens,_

_I must admit I was surprised when news about your arrival in England reached me. I did not expect you to return so soon from Asia, but I cannot say I am disappointed. It is wonderful that you are back in your homeland, with your native people once again. I hope to visit you much more often, so that you may tell me stories of your adventures in the Siamese court. I imagine your skill for engaging even the most dull imagination has improved more than ever. Forgive me if I sound as if I am rambling, I will simply resign myself to await your reply._

_Fondly,_

_William Ormonde_

_p.s. I would like to invite you to tea at my home. Please include your answer in your reply._

She let out a chuckle, she could not have thought of a better time to catch up with an old, beloved friend. She was in dire need of a friend at the moment, she thought wistfully as Avis took the letter and read it herself.

"Oh, Mother, you must go! Talking to someone will do you good. Will you write to him?" She questioned.

"Yes, hand me some paper and my pen, please." Anna gently ordered. Her daughter moved to the little table that was pushed into the wall at the corner of the room and opened the drawer. She retrieved a piece of stationary and a fountain pen, promptly handing them over to her mother.

"Thank you." Anna murmured. She winced then, as her eardrums were accosted by the sound of Louis' infernal bugle. "Do go upstairs and tell your brother to keep the noise down. The neighbors will be very cross with us if he does not stop."

Avis nodded and dashed out of the room, flouncy skirts billowing behind her as she moved. Anna looked after her as she ran and nodded, chuckling to herself. Avis was such a responsible person, a rock amongst the endless current of events. She felt a pang of longing as she remembered that Avis had spent half her life in a boarding school, so that she could learn how to be a proper young lady. That knowledge did not lessen the pain of her eldest daughter's absence though. Anna was glad to have her daughter back with her now.

Her thoughts inevitably drifted to the child within her belly. She placed a tentative hand over it, trying to feel for any motion at all, but she was met with nothing. Vaguely, she wondered if it was all just a big nothing, maybe she simply gained weight and her belly was empty after all. Just a few days ago, she had noticed some stains of blood on her bed clothes. She was not supposed to be cycling, maybe she just miscalculated the weeks.

After a few moments of contemplating this situation, Anna was still convinced of her condition. She had contacted a doctor and made an appointment for him to come to the house to examine her next week.

The notion of carrying a life created out of such a deep love was too beautiful for her to wish away on a whim. She wanted to bear _him_ a child, but she would never tell him, because if he knew then he would request that she and the child live in Siam with him. Anna did not want to expose the poor child to any shame, she did not want the Siamese nobility to scorn it for circumstances it could not have helped. She shook her head, clearing all of these thoughts from her mind and focused on composing a response to her friend William Ormonde.

_October 22nd, 1867_

_My Dear William,_

_I am very pleased to have received such friendly greetings from you. Everything you have said is a very welcome invitation to my ears. I would love to have tea with you. I shall arrive at your house in time for afternoon tea on Sunday. I look forward to seeing you and enchanting you with my tales of Siam._

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Anna Leonowens_

Even though her note was short, she was nonetheless satisfied with it and sealed it in an envelope.

* * *

They did indeed have tea, and it went very well. William never ceased to make her smile, it was the most she had ever smiled so carelessly in a very long time. He looked handsome as ever, the slightest dusting of grey hair at his temples were the only thing that revealed his true age. He was approaching thirty eight, yet he had the mannerisms of a man ten years younger. 

He lived alone save for his elderly housekeeper, who tidied his place up for him. His wife Margaret had died six years ago from tuberculosis and they did not have any children.

"Surely, you must have other engagements. You must forgive the old widow for taking so much of your time," She laughed in spite of herself. He immediately protested.

"You may be a widow, but by God, you are a stunning one!" He cried with much bravado. She rolled her eyes at that, the privacy of his sitting room put her at ease and allowed her to more or less relaxed.

"If you insist, dear," She smiled at him as she sipped some tea, closing her eyes in appreciation for the warmth anf flavor. William seemed to watch her intently but silently. She did not notice until she opened her eyes again, but by then he had turned away. William rose from his armchair and moved to stand by the window.

A moment later he turned back to her, looking pensive. She waited until he finally broke the silence.

"I...I don't suppose you recall the evening in Bangkok, when the King threw his party? It seems like ages ago, but it was one of the most remarkable things I had ever seen." William sounded as if he were about to segway into something bigger, so she humored him.

"Of course I remember. I am not likely to forget am I, since I was the one who planned the entire thing in less than three weeks?" Anna chuckled. Wistfully, she reflected upon the bustling excitement, she found that she missed being that busy.

"Ah, yes. You were an enchanting sight, when you walked up the grand staircase looking like an angel. Everyone stopped to stare at you." At this, Anna frowned. He seemed to be talking more to himself than anyone, and she did not quite understand where he was going in this one sided conversation.

She merely sat back, sipping more tea, waiting for him to continue.

"When the king danced with you, everyone thought you and he were considerably more than employer and employee.You two made a lot of waves in the pond with the way you behaved toward each other."

Anna inhaled sharply and set her cup down on the table in front of the sofa.

"Really now, is that what you thought?" She snapped angrily.

He whipped around, alarmed at her tone.

"I'm sorry Anna, I did not mean to imply anything unsavory. All I meant to say is that the two of you looked perfectly suited for one another." He stood in front of her and took one of her hands in his.

She looked up, a little unwillingly, but she saw how sincere William was.

"William, will you just spit out whatever it is you really want to say?" She asked exasperatedly.

"Well, I...I always wondered, did he make you happy? I mean, truly happy?"

The delivery of his seemingly innocuous question felt like a blow to her chest. She hesitated before replying.

"Yes, the honest truth is that, yes, the five years I spent with him were some of the happiest of my life." Her words were so soft, he had to strain to hear her even though he stood before her.

"I can see it in your eyes, Anna, that your heart is still with him."

She looked up at him then. The understanding in his eyes was unbearable.

"Why are you doing this, William? What can you possibly have to gain from this absurd line of questioning?" Her voice was quivering as she tried to find a verbal escape route.

"I have nothing to lose, Anna, can't you see?" He stalked back to the window, gazing out at the overcast sky.

She rose too, compelled to get to the bottom of her friend's strange behavior.

"I proposed to you once, and you said no," He turned to face her, agony in his eyes. "I wonder, if I proposed to you again, what would your answer be?"

She was rendered speechless by his query.

"You want to marry me still? After all this time?" She barely squeaked.

He looked at her with sudden clarity in his eyes, as if finally letting out the question had brought him indescribable relief in spite of her lack of response.

"Yes, Anna Leonowens, I do. I...know you love him still," She had no doubt in her mind who the 'him' was, "And a marriage with me may not even compare with the life you probably led with him, but I hope we can form an amiable companionship. I care very much for you Anna, if you say no, I will not hold it against you."

She let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding and looked him straight in the eyes. She considered the fact that marrying him would probably ease both of their loneliness, and Avis and Louis would have a father figure to look up to. She also thought if they got married, it would make having her illegitimate child easier. The future did not appear as bleak as it did before, for the first time, Anna believed she could move on and still find some kind of peace.

When she answered, she did not waver.

"Yes."

* * *

Anna returned home that afternoon with a relatively lighter heart, smiling to herself in the carriage. Her body grew accustomed to the additional weight she had begun to add, and her cheeks were rosy. She did not tell William about the child yet, there would be another time to reveal such explosive news. She could see that he was still reeling from her positive response to his second proposal. 

As soon as she got home, she thought of Mongkut and what he would think of the recent events. The last letter she received from him was from a while ago, and she was not sure if the one she sent a few weeks ago had reached him yet. Nevertheless, she was compelled to pen him another.

_Dear M,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. So much has happened here, I do not know where to begin. Please, I want you to know in advance that I am not telling you this to hurt you or to imply that I feel nothing for you, because you know both are not true. Do you remember William Ormonde, the soldier I danced with during the night of the anniversary party? I am sure you do, you made quite a fuss about it. I have recently been in contact with him, he lives here in London as well, home on leave from India. We had tea, and the next thing I know, he asked me to marry him!_

_I know you are probably going to be upset about this, but I said yes to him. Please understand that I am doing this to ease the pain I feel at being separated from you so, and that I believe this is the right choice for me, and my children. I hope you will still write to me, but if you do not, I will understand why._

_Eternally yours,_

_A_

* * *

TBC... 

A/N: R and R please!!!


	4. Genesis

**Title:** Camille

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything except for a character who will soon make her presence known. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N: Okay, there's some gross parts ahead, that's all I'm saying. Kinda graphic, depending on how squeamish you are, but read at your own caution...**

* * *

**Chapter Four: **Genesis

* * *

(August, 1862) 

_Mongkut was reclined comfortably against the trunk of a sturdy tree and seated with his legs tucked under him upon an enormous rock. He stared blankly at the waves, the black shimmering water out in the distance, and he took comfort in the loud hum of the nighttime insects. It was still warm, though not scorching like it was during the day, thankfully._

_He was about to stand up and head back to the palace, when he was startled by a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye._

_It was Anna Leonowens, and never had he felt so much desire rush through him in a hot flash before. Her hair, usually styled in an intricate chignon, flowed loosely down her back and shoulders. She looked mischievous, exhilaration displayed on her face. She must have believed that no one was outside but herself, thus accounting for her confidence._

_He could only watch, awestruck, half covered by the shadows cast by the tree, as she dipped her bare foot into the water and smiled. She then set down her lantern on the sand and glanced around cautiously once more. His eyes followed every inch of uncovered skin as she removed her white dressing gown. She threw that, in turn, next to the lantern and stepped into the ocean. He licked his lips unconciously, appreciating her smooth porcelain skin, her lithe body and slim legs. Somehow, the sight of her nudity was gloriously reassuring, after all this time he wondered what she truly looked like under her cumbersome skirts and gowns._

_When she was fully submerged, he looked on in concern. As liberating as this must have been for her, he was afraid that she would be swept out by the high tide. If he came out and warned her, however, she would immediately know that he had seen her, and he was not quite ready for another emotionally charged spat. He had just got himself back into her good graces after the other night when he had first encountered her in this exact spot._

_Mongkut decided that he would remain hidden, but if she showed any signs of being carried away by the tide, he would go after her._

_In the meantime, he was content to watch her splash and frolick in the water, as if she were weightless. She was so happy, laughing at the moon and throwing her arms up over her head. She dunked her head under the water a few times and surfaced quickly, her hair now flat and pressed against her head. He thought she looked very alluring that way. Before he knew it, she was swimming farther and farther out, while his unease grew. _

_Soon, he heard her cry out and he saw her flail her arms around helplessly. As he predicted, she was having difficulty fighting the undercurrents. He dashed out onto the sand and hurriedly removed his shirt. He sprinted into the water, using all of his strength to reach her before she drowned._

_He swam to her in no time, but she screamed when he roughly grabbed her by the waist, spluttering and straining in his grip._

_"Your Majesty!" Anna gasped. _

_"The tides are very dangerous, Ma'am," He scolded, and neither said anymore as he pulled her back to shore. It was rather difficult for him to swim back as well, with the additional weight in his arms. When they were able to plant their feet on the ground, he supported her as she walked. She kept her arms wrapped around him though, even when she collapsed onto the sand. As a result, he tumbled down with her, landing firmly on top of her._

_His body heated up with arousal, he could feel every bit of her beneath him. He realized that she was still naked, her skin slick with ocean water, and her lips beckoned to be kissed._

_"Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving my life. I was so caught up in the feeling of swimming that I overestimated myself." Her voice was low, he could feel her chest heaving with the effort to breathe. _

_"You are welcome." He could not think of a more articulate reply at the moment. He was too distracted by her hands on his bare back, and his own planted on either side of her head. She was blushing now, there was no way she could not have noticed his heated gaze._

_"I do not think this is very wise, Your Majesty." She uttered. He knew she was right, it would not be good if someone saw the both of them sprawled out on the shoreline together. However, he was past the point of caring. She made no move to escape either, so he took advantage of the opportunity and leaned down to cover her lips with his own. _

_His tongue caressed hers softly at first, and as their desire grew, the passion in their kisses did as well. Anna ran her sensible length finger nails over his bare back, her abandon apparent. He moved lower down her body, he nibbled gently at her neck, biting and kissing gently. _

_He moved back up to kiss her lips, but he made no further move. He could not disrespect her by taking her on the sand, it was much too barbaric to even think of, no matter how much he wanted to make love to her._

_"We cannot do this here, Anna, I am sorry." He pushed himself up into a sitting position. He got up painfully and retrieved her dressing gown and lantern for her. She took them, looking decidedly disappointed. Mongkut helped her up and get dressed. Before she could leave, he pulled her to him once more._

_"Your Majesty-" Anna laughed. His expression was adorable. He looked like a little boy who was tempted to eat the last piece of cake even he knew he shouldn't._

_"I want to spend time with you, tomorrow perhaps, if you would like." He said tenderly._

_"Oh, I would like that so very much, Your Majesty." They had not been alone together since before they settled into the summer palace. Mongkut had been too busy to set aside time for her. She understood, she became accustomed to the irregularity of his visits to her._

_He put his hand on her cheek and kissed her once more. She pulled back to see him hastily calm his breathing. She couldn't resist giggling. _

_"You know, I thought I would have been so embarrassed that you saw me without my clothes on, but..." She sighed happily and continued, "...You make me feel so beautiful, Your Majesty."_

_He looked down at her smooth cheeks, fair skin and bright blue eyes, then at her damp golden-red hair that hung over her right shoulder. Her dressing gown clung to her hips and thighs, leaving nothing about her figure to his imagination._

_"I did not make you beautiful, Anna, you _are _beautiful. Has no one ever told you?" _

_She smiled at him again but somehow found the self discipline to escape from his grasp._

_"Until tomorrow, Your Majesty." She curtseyed slightly and walked back to the palace. He felt another pang of want as he noticed that her hips swayed a little more sensually as she walked away._

_

* * *

_

(November 1867)

After reading Anna's most recent letter, Mongkut did not know whether to be happy for his lover's courage, or to rip the letter to a million shreds in rage. Her news had shot him down as abruptly as a well aimed bullet to his chest.

He sat on his cushion, staring blankly, clutching his spectacles in one hand and the meager piece of paper in the other.

Lady Thiang found him like this when she came in to announce that it was time for dinner.

"Your Majesty? The food is prepared in the dining hall. Will you come now?" She asked tentatively in Siamese.

He jumped at her words, the first time she had actually seen him look flustered. She walked towards him until she stood at his side, then she lowered herself so that her head was no longer higher than his.

Finally, he turned to his head wife, with tears in his eyes.

Wordlessly, he handed her the letter, ignoring her questioning gaze. She was educated enough to understand all the English words. With growing comprehension, she suddenly began to understand what was wrong with Mongkut.

"Oh, Your Majesty..." Was all she was able to say. Seeing him so dejected was utterly heartbreaking, as well as frightening. Her entire country depended upon him, if he was rendered unable to function, the Chakri dynasty might end up falling apart after all.

He was shaking now, not unlike how he did when their daughter Fa-Ying died. She knew him the best among all the other wives, so she did not hesitate in pulling him to her chest for consolation.

She felt rather than heard him as he wept, he sobbed silently as his hands clutched blindly at her silk dress. Lady Thiang could feel all of the sorrow in him, much too much for a man like him to bear. As she stroked his hair and hugged him tightly, she found that her eyes had moistened as well.

_Oh Ma'am Anna, if you could only see him now!_ Lady Thiang thought angrily as she held her despondent, hysterical husband.

* * *

(January, 1868) 

Some women blossomed into impending motherhood. They expanded their mindsets and learned to love the feeling of sustaining another life within them. They took advantage of the time they had while they were bed ridden and worked on their embroidery, or took to reading light literature.

Anna Ormonde was not one of these women.

The only thing that expanded besides her waistline was her already flaming temper as the months passed. Obviously, the news had been broken to her new husband, who had not been as upset as she imagined he'd be.

He loved her too much for his anger to get in the way. In the end, he agreed to let her keep the baby and even to raise it as if it were his own child as well. The result was an unbelievably happy newlywed couple who looked like they were expecting their first child together. Avis and Louis were adjusting quite well to their new father, the three of them got along very well.

William was kind enough to purchase the children their own ponies, the family would go out to the countryside and spend weekends at the cottage he inherited from his father. Anna had learned to laugh and breathe again, much to Beebe's delight. The older woman was worried her mistress would not recover from the heartbreak she was suffering from, but now she was convinced that she was wrong.

As pleasant and relaxed as Anna appeared, she still harbored her love for the Siamese monarch, it had not faded but it had mellowed and molded to become a part of her. She very rarely burned for him as she once did, and if that sort of unrelenting desire for him ever plagued her, she now had a husband who saw to that need.

Mongkut did write to her eventually, but it was nearly two months after she sent him the letter that announced her engagement. Anna believed he probably spent all that time sulking and brooding, she knew his character and the way he dealt with unpleasant news too well.

_If only he knew that I am carrying one of his children._ She mused to herself, absently rubbing her belly. It was now too big to be concealed, she no longer wore a corset and all of her gowns had to be redone in order to accomodate it. She walked with a waddle and suffered from all of the usual problems pregnant women faced; cramps in her feet and lower back, sudden hunger, and excessive crankiness.

The explanation of this child's conception was rather difficult to explain to Avis, who had remained eerily clear headed the entire time. Louis was too young to understand, so he was left with the impression that the child was by his stepfather.

Anna explained everything from start to finish, as objectively as she could, and obviously editing out the more passionate of their encounters. Those remained between herself and Mongkut, as it should have been. When she faltered, Beebe supported her by supplying the little that she knew of Anna's relationship with Mongkut.

"I can tell that you really, really loved him, Mother. And while the situation was socially unacceptable, I do not blame you for your actions. You're still my mother, and I'll always love you." Avis said with a watery smile.

"Besides, I've always wanted another sibling. This family was always too quiet. It will be fun, having a baby to look after," She decided. Beebe laughed and began talking about all of the misadventues Avis had herself when she was a wee toddler.

Feeling more emotionally liberated than ever, Anna sank back upon the cushions of the sofa, marveling at the turn her life had taken.

She was completely unprepared for the oddly uncomfortable twisting inside her womb. She put both hands over her stomach, startled by the unexpected movement of her baby.

Beebe had began to fuss over her, but Anna stopped her with an impatient wave of her hand.

When the older woman quieted, Avis asked timidly, "What is it?"

Anna looked up at them, thunderstruck amazement written all over her face.

"It quickened. I felt it right now, my baby quickened inside me," She was smiling like an idiot now, delighted at the movement of the child. She was glad that it was developed enough to perform such action, now it was certain that the baby was healthy.

"Only two more months, and we'll know if you'll have a sister or a brother..." Anna said.

* * *

February slowly rolled in, Anna's eighth month, and that was when things took another twist in a completely different direction. 

William had received a letter from the British military, which stated that he was due back in Burma to serve. He was granted time off for their honeymoon and more time to settle down, however, now it seemed that time was up and as an incentive, he was being promoted from a Major to a Lieutenant Colonel. The army appealed to her husband in a way that even she could not talk him out of it, this caused them to row and argue like they never had before. Anna did not want to pack everything up again and leave England, to settle in Burma, a province in a country which she just managed to forget.

She got him to postpone going back, by using her imminent delivery as an excuse to keep her husband in London, but he grew more and more restless each day.

When he could not take it any longer, he composed a telegram to send to his commanding officer that had his immediate consent. As William left their London apartment to deliver the message, Anna had chased him all the way out, moving far faster than a woman who was eight months pregnant should. He did not think she would do what she had done, clearly he understimated her stubborness. She paid the price for it though, as she flew down the front steps of their house. She missed the last one and fell, landing on painfully on the concrete. He rushed to her and helped her up, but she was blindsided by the pain in her belly. The abrupt impact of her fall had severely affected the child, in less than two hours, Anna had begun to experience labor pains.

A doctor and some midwives were immediately sent for. Their bedroom was turned into a birthing chamber, locked to everyone but Beebe and Avis. Beebe actually assisted the midwives while Avis just sat at her mother's bedside, fearfully grasping her hand.

William sat right outside, fervently praying for his wife's health. He also prayed for the child, who he'd come to think of as his own in a way. He felt horribly guilty for being the cause of Anna's distress. Her shrill screams were plainly audible through the heavy wooden doors, each time they grew in ferocity he cringed in apprehension.

Inside the chamber, all hell was breaking loose. The doctor announced that the baby was in a difficult position, the feet were positioned first and if it were to be born that way, it would definitely die before it could take its first breath. The midwives knew that the only way to sort out this mess was to gently manipulate the baby by pushing on Anna's stomach in order to get it to be headfirst, as all babies should be. The apparent problem was the utter agony this would cause Anna. Avis tried to explain but her mother could not focus on anything except the stabbing she felt in her lower body.

"I don't care what you do, just get the baby out of me!" She yelled with all the strength she could muster. The doctor took this as a positive reply, so he gave the midwives permission to start pushing. It was either this procedure, or certain death for the mother as well as the baby.

Never in her life had Anna experienced such misery. Her vision swam in and out of focus, she was unable to think about anything. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, she was convinced she was going to die.

"Oh GOD! Make it stop, PLEASE! Make it STOP!" She was beyond hysterical now, and her contractions began to come in shorter and shorter intervals. They had been at it for about nine hours straight now, and everyone was disheveled but nevertheless determined.

"Believe me Mrs. Ormonde, everything is going just fine. You'll have a lusty baby in no time," The shortest midwife said, patting her hand. Anna looked at her with a feral gleam in her eye, but then she was gripped by another contraction, more intense than ever before. The midwives gave one more hard push on her stomach, and Anna thought she would lose her mind.

The doctor, whose once pristine white clothes were soaked in blood, had felt a touch of hope for the first time in hours.

"Alright, the baby is positioned. D'you here that Mrs. Ormonde? You're going to have to give me one enormous push, and it will all be over, I swear to you-"

That was all it took. Anna could not do anything but push at this point, she was desperate to end the terrible ripping she felt down between her legs. She gritted her teeth and then released the most frightening shriek yet, throwing her head back against the pillows.

Avis, who was weeping very loudly, sobbed almost louder than her mother at the sight of the spurt of blood that hit Doctor Lategan's coat. She too was convinced her mother was going to die.

"Mother, go to Jesus as fast as you can, just fly to heaven, you'll be alright-" She said shakily through her mother's haggard breathing. By now, Beebe was weeping too and she could only sit on Anna's left side, also clutching her hand.

Doctor Ormonde glared at them reproachingly and cried, "Calm down, you two, no one is going to Jesus just yet, not if I can help it," He placed his hands on Anna's pale thighs and once more urgently commanded her to push. With a super human effort, the woman wailed and bared down as hard as she had ever done in her life, more ripping between her legs until the pain was so bad she felt like passing out-

And she felt the baby slip from her body at last, and the torture was now over.

She vaguely heard Doctor Lategan as he triumphantly shouted, "It's a girl!"

She could make out Avis' and Beebe's cries of joy as well as the baby's gurgling shouts, proclaiming her displeasure with the world. Feeling more exhausted than ever, Anna could only say, "Camille. Her name is Camille..." before she passed out into a deep slumber.

* * *

TBC...

* * *

A/N: Hope the birth wasn't too gross for y'all. Anyway, R and R please!! 


	5. Rapture

**Title:** Camille

**A/N:** Here's chapter five. Please r and r!!!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except Camille and William, no copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Rapture**

* * *

(March, 1868)

Camille Ormonde was a healthy baby girl, blessed with clear blue eyes, an adorable nose, rosy cheeks and a head of black hair. Anna could not bear to leave her daughter for longer than a few minutes at a time. William had hired a wet nurse for the baby, but Anna cunningly claimed the ache in her breasts was so uncomfortable that she needed to nurse her daughter herself.

In the mid and late afternoon, Anna would sit on her rocking chair in the nursery with Camille in her arms, singing her soft lullabies or simply watching her.

"What would your father say about you, I wonder," She whispered absently, cradling the tiny bundle. Camille giggled and reached her little arms upwards, clutching at Anna's dress.

"Oh, you're going to be a handful, I can tell already. You'll have both of our irascible tempers, but hopefully you'll have his patience rather than my stubborness..." She had taken to talking to her daughter, but obviously it was a hopelessly one sided attempt. "I wish he could see you, just once. I would like it if he knew you existed at least."

Camille yawned, looking like a monarch who was bored with insufficient praise, closed her eyes and promptly fell asleep. She was not a fussy baby, she only threw tantrums when she was hungry, or when she needed to be changed.

Anna chuckled, holding her daughter closely as she stood and went to place her in her cradle. Gently, she put Camille atop the warm blankets and tucked her in soundly. She placed a kiss on her small forehead and hesitantly left the nursery.

She knew the rest of her family was probably in the drawing room, either playing chess, reading, or practicing dancing. William had agreed to teach Avis the waltz, and Louis, feeling quite left out, insisted upon learning as well. As a result, the two had regular practices with their stepfather every Saturday afternoon while Anna spent time alone with Camille.

She could already hear them bickering before she arrived into the room.

"-But father, she started it! If she hadn't stepped on my bloody foot then I wouldn't have stumbled in the first place!"

"Watch your language young man! I will not have you disrespecting your sister like this-"

"Yes, Louis, hear that? He told you off properly, just wait til mother hears this!"

"You're such a ninny, you can't even handle a little tear on your fancy dress-"

"Oh that's rich coming from the king of the ninnies-"

Anna burst into the room unceremoniously, ready to play peacemaker as always.

"SILENCE! Camille is sleeping, you're all going to wake her and then what will we do?" She glared at son and then at her older daughter, and then at her husband, who looked aghast at the situation.

"We were getting along just fine here, mother. Shall we continue with the waltz, little brother?" Avis said with emphasis. Anna looked at her with a critical eye, once again amazed at the starkly close resemblance between her daughter and herself. Avis had a look of controlled fierceness in her, but she could see how she fought to contain it. Louis just looked like a petulant baby, he was not nearly as mature as his sister quite yet.

"I don't want to dance anymore." He said darkly, crossing his arms defiantly across his chest.

"Darling, weren't you the one who insisted on having lessons?" Anna asked exasperatedly, moving towards him. She placed a hand under his chin and tilted his head up so she could see into his eyes.

"What's gotten into you, Louis?" She questioned with a frown.

To her surprise, Louis wrenched himself out of her grasp and his chin trembled with indignation.

"All you ever do is play with Camille, now. You never talk to us much, and when you do, it's always about her!" He spat indignantly. He huffed loudly, with that, he stomped all the way out of the room and up the stairs.

William immediately saw the hurt that his wife was experiencing and ran after the boy to give him a good scolding.

Anna stood there mutely, shocked at her son's behavior. She said nothing to the equally shocked Avis while she turned right around, seeking the comfort of her own room. Avis fell back into the sofa, contemplating Louis' resentment. Even she had not known about the depth his contempt until it had surfaced. Beebe came in with a tray of tea things and frowned.

"What? Another row? My goodness, this family never runs out of things to quarrel about." She clucked disapprovingly.

Avis grinned in spite of herself.

"Right you are, Beebe. Things never get boring 'round this place."

Moonshee came in, finished with his work in the garden, and sat beside his wife as the three of them had tea.

"What did I miss?" He asked as he stared at Beebe curiously. She rolled her eyes at him as she shared a knowing laugh with Avis.

* * *

_(June, 1862)_

_"I've been wondering..." Mongkut trailed off, staring at his children as they played cricket on the field across from them, "When it is my son's time to be king, will he be a good one?"_

_He turned to find her looking straight at him, hands poised above the handle of her club. She was as composed as ever, her English hat tied primly with the bow hanging near her neck. _

_"Well, he is still a boy, Your Majesty," She demurred as she glanced down at her club, "But a keenly intelligent one, warm heart, sympathetic soul...Qualities I believe of a great king." Her tone was genuinely jovial, the summer air seemed to suit her. She looked very much at ease compared to the time they had spent in Bangkok._

_At that, she firmly knocked her ball through the little hoop, sending it rolling in a steady line._

_He bent over slightly in order to concentrate on his aim, squinting because of the sunlight. He looked up at her when she spoke again._

_"I want to thank you for bringing me here, to Siam." She fiddled with her club nervously, "I cannot imagine anywhere I'd rather be." The quiet sincerity in her voice was touching to him. He smiled at her, then turned his attention back to his ball and he gave his club a good swing. The ball went rolling forward, prompting the two of them to walk over to them to begin the next turn._

_"Were you happy in Bombay?" He asked curiously. Her eyes held a mist of rememberance, as if some meaningful event had occurred in this city, and she was forced to recall it because of him._

_"I was never unhappy, I suppose." She kept her gaze ahead, as if trying to focus on moving without tripping over her tediously long skirts, "I find myself traveling place to place, wondering where it is I belong exactly." Anna raised her club off the ground to examine the handle. They stopped, ready to take their turns._

_"And now I find myself here." The Englishwoman murmured, concentrating on her next hit._

_He looked at her, really looked at her for the first time, it seemed._

_"Your path is as it should be, Ma'am." Mongkut assured her as he gazed at the lake behind her._

_He heard her exhale sharply in self-deprecation. _

_"My mind has taken me down many roads of late...All of which, lead absolutely nowhere." She sounded a little tired, as well as cryptic. He felt compelled to ask her to elaborate on those paths, and if he happened to be on any of them._

_Instead, he looked on as she prepared to swing her club._

_"What would Buddha say of that?" She asked challengingly, looking rather feisty as she delivered a precise blow to her ball. It made a satisfying wooden clunk upon impact, emphasizing her question._

_"That roads are for journeys, Ma'am," Mongkut said, equally cryptic, as he walked in a half circle around her. "Not for destinations." He turned around again, a lovely warmth radiating from his face. There was a sensual languidness in his movements, she utterly loved the way he could make her feel, just by looking at her._

_As he leaned down once more to get his aim straight, Anna swept her gaze back to his wives, who were sitting underneath enormous canopies. They talked amongst themselves, happily chirping and alive with the excitement of being in the summer palace. She looked back at Mongkut, feeling an urge to finally ask him something that had been bothering her for quite a long time._

_"Don't your wives ever get jealous?" _

_She wondered if he'd have her flagged and beheaded for asking such a personal question, so she quickly withdrew her question as soon as he raised his eyebrow._

_"Forgive me, I was prying-"_

_She was taken aback when he insisted that she elaborate on her question._

_She had to pause to regroup her racing thoughts- and heart- before further explaining herself._

_"...Well, most of the world believes that a man, and a woman, should...share a relationship which is sacred only onto themselves." Anna finished quietly, a half smile playing upon her lips. It looked a little strained, he thought._

_He did not think of an immediate reply, much to her dismay, she was left suspensefully awaiting his reponse as he took his time in planning his turn._

_At last, he hit the ball, his club clunking loudly. He stood straight up, looking taller and more handsome than ever._

_"Each one of my wives believes same about king." Mongkut remarked, looking back at the harem._

_Anna could only smile and avert her eyes. She felt out of her league suddenly, only one woman, a foreigner at that, who would never truly fit in amongst the Siamese court. She was grateful that the brim of her hat brought her some privacy as she struggled to keep her emotions under control._

_When she looked back up at him, she knew she would not quiver._

_"Not everyone could marry you, Your Majesty." She stated, a challenging gleam in her eyes._

_To her immense surprise and embarrassment too, he said, "Good thing!" _

_Mongkut leaned slightly forward, a roguish grin forming on his lips._

_"King needs his rest, sometime." He said with just the right amount of suggestiveness. This caused the desired effect, Anna's cheeks flushed bright pink as she laughed softly. He vaguely wondered how many times he could make this woman blush in a day._

_She turned away from him, urging him to follow, as she tracked her ball's progress through the field. They moved to the current location, very near to the end of the game._

_"I cannot imagine sharing my husband with anyone!" She said amusedly, clearly recovered from any embarrassment she displayed just a moment ago. He observed her as she lifted her skirt gracefully so she would not step on it. He never could get over her talent for being able to do just about anything in such restricting, uncomfortable clothing, and in the most elegant way possible to boot._

_"Why not?" Mongkut asked. He placed a hand on his hip as he balanced on his club. _

_"Because he's mine!" Anna cried incredulously, laughing at the look on his face._

_He moved to stand in front of her and raised the top of his club to point at her accusingly._

_"Ha! A slave!" Mongkut declared triumphantly. Anna gaped, but secretly, she was enjoying this friendly camaraderie they shared. Selfishly, she allowed herself to bask in the feeling that out of all the other women, he had picked her to spend a whole afternoon with._

_"No-" She argued as he circled around her. "Well, yes, but he'd be a strictly voluntary one." _

_"So a man becomes slave to woman. And they call my country uncivilized!" He said conversationally. He was not looking at her, but at his children as they played in the field._

_He did not realize that she had taken the liberty of using her ball as leverage to send his rolling through the last hoop and down the hill. As it rolled away and disappeared from sight, Anna turned around triumphantly. She looked very smug, her eyes dancing with mirth. Her mouth spread into a wide grin, she began to laugh, a wholehearted, adorable laugh that made something inside him melt despite the fact that he lost the game._

_He stopped to stand right next to her, the urge to kiss her becoming almost too strong for him to hold back._

_"King's wives, _always_ let king win." Mongkut scolded gently, ignoring her apparent delight._

_"Well, then I won't have to, will I?" She asked. At his look of mock dismay, Anna continued to laugh._

_He turned away wordlessly, listening to her giggling as he made his way to see what the children were doing, before he lost all control and succumbed to his desire of having his way with her on the spot. _

_

* * *

_

_(July, 1862)_

_He had to see her away from everyone else, he was fed up with restraining himself around her. Nervousness had plagued him for the first time in a long time, there was always the idea of seducing her but he had never actually meant to do it, until tonight. He had known her for only two months, but despite the short time, he knew he felt something deeper than the usual flighty lust that other women inspired._

_He made sure he looked his best, after dinner, he announced that he was bothered by a terrible headache and that absolutely no one was to disturb him until dawn._

_With that, he waited in his rooms until midnight, when he was sure that no one was awake. To avoid the guards keeping watch at his doors, Mongkut stepped out the window and skillfully made his way down to the ground without faltering. He knew where Anna's room would be, with determination, he scaled the wall of the palace, all the way up to her bedroom window. He only lost his footing twice, but he did not stop._

_Getting her window open would be a challenge. He tried to manipulate it with shaky fingers as he struggled to keep his balance. It was very precarious though, he was beginning to lose hope. Maybe she was too deeply asleep, maybe she couldn't hear him knocking on the glass, maybe-_

_Mongkut felt relief wash over him as the window finally swung open, almost hitting him in the face as it did so._

_"Let me in, Anna." _

_She nearly shrieked in fright, but when she recognized him, she agreed to help him through the window. He was glad that he had succeeded in getting into her rooms, now the only thing he was worried about was his plan that seemed utterly stupid in retrospect._

_"Your Majesty, what on earth are you doing, cavorting about like this? You could have fallen!" She chastised him crossly._

_"But I didn't. Besides, aren't you glad to see me?" He asked lightly. He was dressed in a white cotton shirt and loose fitting blue breeches, plain attire that starkly contrasted what he normally dressed in._

_"Of course, but you scared me half to death." Anna whispered. "Moonshee and Beebe are in the adjoining room, Louis is asleep in there too. Now, will you please explain what you are doing here?" She demanded impatiently. _

_"King could not sleep." _

_"Yes, you were complaining of a headache earlier, you look much better now." She said, looking him over._

_"King never had a headache." He said, adding to her impatience._

_"Then why..." She took in his appearance again, puzzlement clear in her eyes._

_He took a step nearer to her, allowing their bodies to touch slightly, but then he backed away again, as if baiting her. When he moved back, he saw that she nearly followed him, desire pulled them together like magnets._

_Anna now understood what he wanted, her heart began to race out of control. Her stomach did flip flops, suddenly she felt all too exposed in her dressing gown and bonnet._

_"Will you let me?" Mongkut murmured as he reached for her cap and started to untie it. She did not stop him as he removed it and dropped it carelessly on the ground. Her hair shined in the semidarkness, it framed her angelic face, the sight very hypnotizing to him. He raised his hand to caress her cheek, Anna leaned into his touch, closing her eyes in bliss._

_They spoke of nothing more as they slowly inched toward the bed in a heated sort of tango. When she fell back upon the mattress, Mongkut hesitated in lifting her dressing gown above her thighs, but was surprised when he felt silk where her skin should have been._

_He looked up at her questioningly._

_Anna smiled mysteriously, granting him permission to remove her dressing gown. _

_He slowly did so, marvelling at the surprise he found beneath the seemingly plain piece of clothing. The prim and proper schoolteacher was wearing a traditional Siamese silk dress, the shimmering fabric clung to every curve of her womanly body. He was near to salivating at the sight._

_Mongkut must have looked baffled, because she explained right away._

_"I bought this fabric at the outdoor market in Bangkok. I wanted to make myself a nightgown out of this because my other ones are too thick to sleep comfortably in. Lady Thiang taught me how to sew it all together. Do you like it, Your Majesty?" _

_"Red suits you, Anna. A bold color for a bold woman," He said, hovering over her, dying to get as close to her as possible._

_His hands were on her waist, running up and down her sides. She said and did nothing to stop him, but he still moved cautiously in case she did not wish to do this._

_"Your Majesty, is this wise?" She wondered aloud. _

_He pondered how he should answer this. "It depends. Do you wish for me to leave?" He offered._

_Mongkut watched Anna swallow, desire battling common sense in her face. He wished she would let go and give herself to him for one night, he was so tired of the game they played. All he wanted was to bring her to such heights of pleasure that she would be incapable of thinking straight. _

_"No. No I don't. But what we want does not matter, it is your honor and what your courtiers would gossip about that matters to me. I will not have you undermined on account of me." She said, protectiveness audible in her speech._

_"So you admit, you want me too?" He asked, bypassing her talk of his court and their petty speculations. _

_Anna fidgeted slightly under him, but she did not break his gaze._

_"Yes." Was all it took._

_Slowly, torturously, he lowered his head to kiss her, all of the feelings he had for her rushing to the surface. His tongue gently traced her bottom lip, coaxing her to open up to him. They fit so perfectly together, kissing this woman brought him such an exquisite sensation of arousal that he had never quite experienced before with anyone else. _

_Her breathing hitched, and slowly, she moved her previously immobile hands found their way underneath his shirt, her fingers sweetly tickling his skin. He gasped, startled by the feel of her touch. He was excited that she was beginning to really get involved, he kissed her more deeply and felt her kiss him back. _

_He slowly peeled the silk off of her, unraveling the garment and lavishing every bit of exposed skin with attention, he caressed her and kissed her, making her wriggle and arch. _

_"Oh...Your Majesty," She whimpered as he reached her sensitive inner thighs. He felt her shaking with need, but he was unsure if he should proceed. He did not want to disrespect her, he was ignorant on the etiquette when it came to lovemaking in English society. His fantasies that involved her were immensely erotic, but now that he was really touching her, tasting her, he knew that nothing in his most vivid imagination could ever compare to the real thing. _

_"Anna, may I touch you here?" He asked, running his index finger along her leg, stopping safely away from the vee between her legs._

_She groaned in frustration, pushing her hips toward him. This was all the permission he needed, his tongue sought out her most intimate flesh. He kissed, suckled and nipped gently, eliciting soft moans and sounds of pleasure from her. He was thrilled when she cried out, her hands running through his jet black hair as her muscles spasmed, the feel of her reaching her peak because of his touch was immensely gratifying._

_He kissed a trail up her body, lingering on her soft abdomen and her perfectly rounded breasts, and then finally he was kissing her lips again. She couldn't believe this was happening, so surreal and amazing, she could only feel her all-encompassing longing for him pulse through her body like the strongest electrical current._

_Mongkut learned where she responded most to his kisses, the hollow of skin just below her jaw and behind her ear. His hands roamed slowly over the rest of her, causing her breathing to spike. She ran her own hands over his smooth chest, her shyness replaced by overwhelming urgency. _

_He removed his shirt, shook his trousers off and then hurriedly covered her body with his own, wanting more than anything to feel her, skin to skin. They kissed again, but this time, he felt her nudging her hips against him._

_"Are you ready?" He murmured. _

_"Oh yes, please," She breathed._

_He wasted no time in parting her legs, bracing himself for that first thrust. He could see the lovely anticipation in her face, the dim candlelight flickering softly. He moved to take her, to finally have her in her entirety. He traced his finger along her jaw, admiring the vulnerability in her expression, the very same face that had looked at him with such pointed dislike, glaring annoyance and frustrated rage. She now looked at him how a woman loved a man, passionately, wholeheartedly, completely. _

_His heart fluttered. He had of course had sex, rather often as was expected of him, but he rarely knew the women of his harem as thoroughly as he knew Anna. He rarely did anything for them but ensure that he released his seed inside them in hopes of producing more heirs._

_With Anna, he found that in pleasing her, he pleased himself. He wanted to make her see that being with him was worth any adversity. With his wives, sex was business, they were uninteresting, demure and more in love with the idea of the wealth that accompanied being his lover. _

_Sex with Anna was accompanied by simply her love, her eyes communicating deeply to his soul more effectively than any words ever could._

_As they lost themselves in their searing passion, he knew that sex without love was something he never wanted to experience again. _

_

* * *

_

Anna had cautiously entered her son's room to find William and Louis sitting on the floor, cross legged, her twelve year old son looked calmer and less sulky than a few moments ago.

"Hello," She said as both of their heads turned to look at her.

Louis said nothing and stared at his clasped hands, and William looked up at her sympathetically.

"What do you have to say to your mother, young man?" He prompted gently.

Louis sighed and met Anna's stare reluctantly.

"I'm sorry, mother."

William clucked disapprovingly. "What was that?"

"I'm sorry!" Louis groaned more loudly as he covered his face with his hands. Anna smiled forgivingly as she knelt down to remove his hands from his face.

"It's alright, darling. I know I've been a bit neglectful of you and your sister, I must apologize as well."

She kissed his cheek, and Louis seemed half satisfied with her apology.

"Can we go to Yorkshire? I want to see Alphonse," He asked, referring to his beloved chestnut pony that they kept in the country.

She looked at William, who mulled it over.

"Well, alright, I suppose. Avis probably would enjoy the fresh air. Beebe and Moonshee can stay here and watch Camille while the four of us go to Yorkshire, how about that?"

Anna instinctively felt like bringing Camille along, but that would probably send Louis into another tantrum, so she said nothing about her protests.

"I'd really like that, father." Louis admitted with a grin.

The three of them stood back up, and Louis took off at a run to tell Avis about their upcoming plans for the week.

William stepped close to his wife, a graver expression on his face.

"Anna, we need to talk."

She was a little apprehensive, she recognized that serious tone too well.

"Alright, let's talk."

Anna sat on her son's bed as William followed suit, grasping for words.

"I cannot hold off on my duty any longer. If I do, I'll be released for insubordination."

She knew exactly what he was talking about, her heart was sinking with every word.

"Oh. I see."

He breathed in and then exhaled, looking around at the room.

"If they let me go, we will have virtually no income until I can find another job." He stated matter of factly.

"Then you must go." Anna said simply.

He looked at her with a frown.

"I will not live without my family. If I am to go, then you all must come as well."

She bristled at that, irritation flaring within her as it always did whenever they broached this subject.

"We cannot just pack everything up and move halfway across the world again, we only just settled here little more than a year ago! And how would we brave such distances with Camille, she is not nearly strong enough to survive such a long and tiring journey."

"It is possible. One of my friend's wives gave birth to twins while traveling to French Indochina on a ship. Their babies are perfectly healthy, there is no reason that Camille cannot do the same."

She slapped her skirt in anger at that.

"I do _not_ want to go."

He buried his face in his hands, resting for a few silent seconds. William looked back at her, clearly not ready to give in just yet.

"When we were married, you agreed to honor and obey me. I did not expect you to love me, maybe as a friend, yes, but passion cannot always be summoned especially when the heart already lies elsewhere. I have sacrificed my own inhibitions, and I do not look down upon you or Camille. I love her as my own, the little beauty, and I will raise her as my own because she carries my name."

He took a deep breath and turned his head to her, looking quite weary.

"This is all I ask of you. Come with me to Burma, you and the children."

Anna saw the truth in his words and saw that she was being self centered, she was equally guilty that she could not give him the love he desired.

So she said yes.

* * *

TBC... 

AN: R and R!

* * *


	6. The Kralahome's Duty

**Title:** Camille

**A/N:** Hehe, so as Youkai no Yume pointed out, I kinda messed with my own timeline and nothing made sense, so now the chapters have been re-edited and fixed so the timeline/events make sense. Please re-read at your own leisure if you're mixed up with the order of events and flashbacks. Sorry for the hassle! This story is now officially very very AU.

Anyway, here's the sixth chapter. R and R please!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Camille and William.**

* * *

**Chapter Six:** The Kralahome's Duty

* * *

(mid February, 1868) 

The Royal family was out on the river, Mongkut sat cross legged upon his high cushion in the center of the steam boat, pensive and silent. A select handful of wives accompanied him, as well as Chulalongkorn and a few of his other children.

Everything seemed so distant as if there were an invisible, impenetrable barrier around him. The world outside carried on easily, passing him by, mocking him with its vivid colors, the way it could flit past without difficulty made him unbearably nostalgic.

Nothing was right without _her_ anymore.

Almost everywhere, there lay a little reminder of her, be it in the way the sun reflected off of the water's surface or the exact spot she would stand on this boat, overlooking the scenery as they floated slowly by. He turned, averting his gaze from these terrible reminders, but it was futile. She was always around, whether he could see her or not.

And worst of all, she had not written to him in what seemed like decades. He always kept up hope, believing that her letters may have just gotten lost among the torrent of others, but none came. He sent many of his own, hoping his desperate pleas would move her to some extent and relieve him of some of the utter agony he felt at her reticence.

Still, he waited, and still, it was the same.

Bitterly, he supposed that she had gone ahead and married William Ormonde. All was well with the world, she had found her place in life and she had forgotten all the time they spent together. Buddha knew he couldn't forget any of it, every moment between them was indelibly engraved into his very existence.

When he went to bed every night, he had a different woman waiting for him, as it should have been. Flowing black hair, smoldering eyes lined with kohl, pale porcelain skin, they became all the same, all generic and completely predictable, he could no longer stand to be with them. He tried to fight it at first, but as time dragged on, he ended up sending them away and going to bed alone most nights. Sleep was impossible, because he dreamed of _her_, laughing and talking with her new husband, their children sitting around them at their feet. He wished with every fiber of his being that he could have been the one beside her instead of William, and that the children sitting at their feet were his.

The more he burned, the more despairing he became in his letters to her, uncaring of who might intercept them. He needed to know that she hadn't forgotten him and all that she meant to him, because if she had, then he would not want to carry on pretending anymore.

He did not know that each and every missive he sent to London barely made it out of Siam. His Excellency, the Prime Minister had prevented them from leaving the country. The Kralahome had grown wary of the sudden outpouring of letters from the king to Europe, and he secretly interrogated the king's personal messenger. The Prime Minister learned that the replies from Europe were also handled by this young man, they were equally numerous in quantity. The messenger turned over all of the letters for the right amount of money.

He had left the first few unopened, but his curiosity grew with each letter that was diverted back to him so he finally gave into the temptation of reading one written by Mongkut. He was shocked at what he found.

_My dearest A,_

_I cannot say adequately how unbearable life is without you. Everything I do has no meaning, food has lost its taste, the sun glows less brightly every passing day, and every second is a lifetime away from you. This pain you inflict upon me, I cannot see how I deserve it! You are the bane of my existence, and I can see you everywhere in palace, but when I chase after you, you evaporate into the air. I have kept completely to self, speaking of this sadness to no one but Lady Thiang. However, even she does not know whole truth._

_I can see in my subject's eyes that they fear for my sanity. They do not know what is wrong, but the questioning is always there. The Kralahome is especially vocal in his concern, and he worries much. I do not mean to induce remorse, but only to tell truth. Anna, I beseech you, send me a single sentence and it shall relieve me of this torture. Please, for every word you send to me is like hearing your sweet voice again._

_I can hear you now, actually. "Life is all suffering, Your Majesty" you say scoldingly, and I have never believed this proverb wholly until now._

_Always,_

_M_

Back when Anna Leonowens was the teacher of the royal children, everyone speculated about the real nature of her relationship with the king. They always argued passionately, and many thought they had bedded with equal fervor, but there was never any definite truth that could be verified. Up until now, he had always believed that it was just gossip and rumors.

This was exactly what the Prime Minister feared would happen. If this letter was intended for whom he believed, then he was doing his country a favor by witholding it from its proper destination.

* * *

(April, 1864) 

_He lay on his side, staring at her as she slept. His fingers idly twisted a lock of golden hair around, his eyes swept over her peaceful face and the small, content smile she wore on her lips. Never had he laid sight on such an enchanting picture before. Her chest rose and fell deeply with each breath, one arm was rested beneath her head and she lay on her stomach, her favorite position to sleep, he knew._

_Her legs, slender with shapely calves, were bent at the knee. The blankets barely covered her bottom and left the skin of her back exposed, he was tempted to run his palms over it to see if she would stir. Her lips were reddened from the way he kissed her earlier, he could clearly see the marks he made on her neck. He felt a rush of possessiveness upon viewing those, it distinguished her as his._

_He froze when she began to wake up. Her eyelids slowly opened, drowsiness still hazy in her expression. His heart started thumping loudly when she smiled and said, "Good morning."_

_"Hello." He murmured in return, watching the sunlight dance across her face._

_"Were you watching me sleep again?" Anna asked, closing her eyes again and burrowing her head deeper into her pillow._

_He chuckled, a warm rumbling sound that shook her in a nice way._

_"Yes. How did you know?"_

_She opened her eyes, pinning him with a look of utmost affection._

_"I can feel your eyes."_

_He descended upon her lips, effortlessly melding into her pliant body as they began to feel the beginning of arousal ignite within each of them._

_He pulled back just enough so that he could look into her eyes. She focused on the nearness of his lips, her breathing already short._

_"How do you do this to me, my love?" She whispered._

_"I can ask you same question, and I can guarantee that neither of us has good answer."_

_She laughed softly before he kissed her again, and they fell into another round of blissful ecstasy._

_

* * *

_

(Last week of February, 1868)

All of their belongings were packed into boxes and suitcases, the furniture sold, the parlor that was once the center of their peaceful family life left empty and barren.

Anna stood in the middle of her darkened dining room, wondering if she'd ever settle anywhere permanently. She could not say she was glad to be leaving England, the weather, people and surroundings had grown on her, she was comfortably reacquainted with her country.

But the prospect of returning to lush green forests and valleys with sweetly humid air was altogether exciting and frightening. Burma was a little too close for comfort, she could not contain herself, knowing that _he _was only some hundred miles away. Anna focused her attention wrapping all of her china with paper and packing them snugly together.

Her mind inevitably drifted to the sense of loss she felt. She had written to Mongkut many times recently, hoping that he would respond to just one of her letters. She had received no replies at all. She supposed this was his way of trying to move on with his life, which really was a good thing, but she did not believe he could just forget her so easily.

She even let Beebe talk her into telling him that they had a child together, and so she included the life-altering information into her latest letter. She had sent it a few day's after Camille's birth, because he had a right to know that she had borne him a daughter.

A noise from behind startled her, she was glad she didn't drop the cup she held in her hand.

"Ahhhrrrraaa..." The tiny voice giggled. Avis was standing in the doorway, Camille bundled up in her arms, as she waved her hands around in the air.

Anna grinned and put down the cup, making her way toward her children. Avis handed the baby to Anna, the two women doting on the little girl, who was happy as can be.

"Beebe says she thinks she's hungry, mother. But she's not crying, so how do you know if she is?"

"Well, there is only one way to find out."

Anna went into the sitting room and sank into one of the armchairs that they still had left. She unbuttoned the front of her dress, designed for nursing mothers so she could easily unfasten the front, and held Camille to her chest.

The baby at once found her breasts and suckled hungrily at the milk that flowed.

Avis watched her mother, intrigued by the picture of a mother and a baby, she did not want to interrupt the tranquility of the scene.

When Camille had her fill, Anna refastened her dress and wiped Camille's mouth with her sleeve. The baby laughed, her lovely eyes sparkling with innocent happiness.

"Mother, she's such a beautiful little thing. Are all babies this wonderful?"

"Well, your sister just happens to be quite well behaved. I suppose we are all very lucky that she does not spend most of her time bawling."

"I bet that Louis was an enormous bawler!" Avis cried with delight at the thought of obtaining potential blackmail on her brother.

"Well, you certainly were, darling." Anna laughed, raising Camille against her shoulder so that she could burp her properly. She gently began patting the baby's back.

"Oh well, maybe I was..." She trailed off.

They were silent for a bit, but footsteps from upstairs signalled that the men were well on their way in bringing more luggage down.

"Mother, will you tell me about him?"

"Who?"

"You know."

Avis waited patiently for her mother's response, highly doubtful that she would get any new information.

"I mean, I know who he is, but what was he like? He must have been a great deal like father for you to have taken such a liking to him."

Anna sat back in the armchair, holding Camille, who was sucking contentedly on her thumb.

"He was an insufferable prat when I first met him," Anna mused, rocking Camille slowly.

"Then as we got to know each other, the qualities we found reprehensible simply disappeared, and we came to an understanding. It was innocent enough, but..."

"But?" Avis prompted.

"Well, I was not sure at all about anything. I mean, how could I be? Louis was seven years old, I was still grieving, Siam was an overwhelmingly different country than India. Nothing made sense."

Avis watched as Anna's eyes clouded with emotion.

"And as the years passed, everything sort of fell into place. We fell into an arrangement, one that closely resembled marriage in a way, even though he kept his harem, and we always, always pretended as if we were nothing more than friends. I think a lot of people were suspicious, though. To this day, I'm not sure if anyone knew the truth."

Little did she know how wrong she was.

* * *

"Sir?" The young boy asked meekly in Siamese. It was the king's messenger boy, who had in his hands the latest letter from London. The Kralahome took it from him at once and paid him a handsome sum. The boy bowed, thanking him profusely as he left his apartments. Now that the Prime Minister was alone, he cautiously opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside. It was from Mrs.Leonowens, just as he expected. 

_Dearest M,_

_Judging by your lack of correspondence to me, I think it is safe to say you are no longer interested in me or our daughter now, and I hereby release you of your promise to write. I believe it would be easier if we let go, because it seems you already have._

_I will no longer live in London, starting from this month on, my husband William has been posted to Burma, and the children and I will be accompanying him. If you ever loved me in the slightest, please do not try to find me. It is easier this way._

_Sincerely,_

_A_

This was not good at all. He pocketed the letter and frowned. If news of the Englishwoman's return to Asia ever reached the king, he would not put it past him to go through ridiculous lengths to see her again. Her presence was a deadly distraction, and a distracted monarch was as good as a dead one.

He also knew of the child conceived and born out of this ill-timed union, her letter declaring the birth of a daughter was one of the first he encountered from her. He believed that Mongkut was a king with too much of a heart sometimes, he always came to love each of his children. If Mongkut learned that he had a child with the woman he truly loved, the Prime Minister knew he would move mountains to find them.

Despite the fact that the old man consoled himself by saying that he was working for the good ofthe country, this did not stop the pang of indescribable guilt when he thought of the hurt he was causing for both sides.

* * *

TBC... 

Please R and R!!!

* * *


	7. Back to the East

**Title: **Camille

**A/N:** There is a lemon ahead, be forewarned. Also, a HUGE thank you to all who have reviewed. You guys are awesome, and your kind words mean the world to me! Anyway, enjoy this extra long chapter, and please r and r at the end!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

* * *

**Chapter Seven:** Back to the East

* * *

(December 1866) 

_She stepped into the throne room with a determined look about her. As soon as she saw the king sat alone at the end of the hall, she knew that this would not be easy._

_"Your Majesty," She curtseyed, stalling for time as the doors behind her were pulled shut by the guards outside. She did not want them to hear her addressing the king casually, since they were obviously trying to keep their relationship a secret._

_"Thank you for seeing me, Your Majesty." Anna rose up and continued to walk towards him._

_"I was told by your Prime Minister that this is none of my concern." Her voice held a hint of bitterness, one that fore warned him of the mood she was in._

_"It _is _none of Ma'am's concern, and King is seeing you now to tell you same himself."_

_"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but-"_

_"I do not wish for you to talk more on this matter, to King or anyone." There was a firm finality, as if he made the decision for her and she was not to have a say in any of it._

_"I was only trying to-"_

_"Tuptim broke law!" Mongkut declared loudly. He could literally see the offense she took at being interrupted twice._

_"By loving someone?" She had the nerve to ask him with a glint in her blue eyes. Then she had the gall to bring up the Enlightened one's name, "Sacrifice your life for truth, persecute no man, are these not the teachings of Buddha?" Anna cried exasperatedly. Her arms gesticulated enthusiastically but none of this weakened his resolve._

_"I am King, and I say NO!" The anger that controlled him made him push over the nearest table that held his crown, it was too late for him to do anything but listen to the clang it made as the magnificent gold pieces scattered on the marble floor. Anna jumped in dismay at the sight._

_He was glaring at her, actually glaring at her, for the first time she was on the receiving end of his genuine displeasure. This was no mere argument over her curriculum or foreign customs, this was real, and had she been a lesser woman she would have probably been groveling at his feet begging him not to execute her as well as Tuptim._

_They stood, separated by a canyon of despair and rage, their cries to each other indecipherable and useless. Anna still could not bear to give up hope if it meant she could save the life of a dear friend._

_"You asked me to always tell you what I think." She said, thinking of the time when she defended him against her own people._

_To her growing fear, the man with whom she had been besotted, rose from his seat at the steps of his throne and slowly took steps in her direction._

_"What you think, and what you do, and how, and when you do it, are not the same thing."_

_He was almost within arm's reach, but she found herself wanting to back away instinctively._

_"If you believe I wish to execute this girl, but now, because YOU say to court, that YOU can tell King what to do, I cannot intervene as I had planned." He was circling around her dangerously close, closer than she cared to have him at the moment. She had never, except for the very beginning of their acquaintance, wanted to turn away from him more than she did now. Clenching her jaw, she forced herself to hold his fiery gaze as he walked._

_Where she suddenly obtained the strength to shout, she had no idea._

_"Intervene? After they've tortured?" There was pleading in her eyes, her brow was bent with distress._

_"Yes!" Mongkut bit out. He was so near to her, and yet so far away._

_"But you, a woman, and a foreigner, have made it seem King at your command, you have made me appear weak, and impossible for me to step in, and not to lose face!"_

_"But you are the king-"_

_"Yes, and to remain such, I cannot undermine nobility, to command loyalty which I MUST HAVE to keep country secure!" _

_"You have the power to lead your people-" She tried once more._

_"Now is not the time to change the way things are done!"_

_He flung his hands out, as if to strike her, but she did not budge. With that, his fury seemed to subside, as he finally turned around and began walking back to the platform. But there was a storm inside Anna, one that refused to be restrained, it rose out of her like flooding water over a dam._

_"Well, if not now, then when?" She watched as he froze, summoning all of the bravery she had and plowed onwards, "How many more people must die so that you might SAVE FACE!"_

_The last two words were spat with such passion, such force, that she was left winded and out of breath._

_He half turned, his face full of contempt. _

_"Go home Anna. You've helped enough for one day." _

_He may as well have slapped her._

_Anna staggered back, blinded by the agony of it all. She was directly responsible for Tuptim's impending death, and she had now alienated the man she needed most. After her moment of splendid eloquence, she was left reeling and inarticulate. She started trembling uncontrollably, the image of Tuptim's haunted eyes tormenting her everytime she closed her own._

_"She did nothing wrong, Mongkut. She loved him, and she is to be condemned for it? While we have skulked around in the night and done as we pleased for so many months, she had absolutely nothing, they loved each other from a distance until that distance became too great. I cannot live with myself, I will not be yours any longer."_

_He looked equally exhausted as he did startled._

_"Do not further complicate things, please, Anna." His words were beseeching, not loud in volume, but in context and intensity._

_She nodded negatively, her eyes beginning to sting, as she sliced through the air with her hand._

_"No, I will not listen to you. You have done your best to put an end to my pleas, and you have succeeded. I know you well enough to know that when you've made up your mind, all is lost and everyone moves on. So I am moving on now."_

_Without her trademark curtsey of respect, she whipped around and ran towards the doors. Mongkut could not help but dash after her. He caught up to her in five sweeping strides, unflinchingly grabbing her by her forearm and twisting her around._

_"Get away from me!" She growled, valiantly fighting him off as she usually ended up doing everytime they found something to argue about._

_He continued to try to calm her down, but this incensed her more._

_"No! I will not fall into your arms and into your bed, I will not forget this! Don't you see? I cannot be with you in good conscience, knowing that a woman is going to be executed for doing the very same thing with her own lover!" She cried, still trying to wrench herself free. _

_He was getting desperate, to make her see that this was hurting him just as much as it was her, that he wasn't an insensitive, barbaric brute like all the other European leaders said he was. He simply could not lose her now. He would have rather had her flying at him rather than cutting him off completely._

_"Anna, please!" He slammed her wrists behind her back, his mouth now close enough to kiss or bite._

_"No!" Anna said with her eyes downwards, but her resistance became increasingly weakened by stirring desire._

_"Anna," He begged until at last her body went still, tired of struggling against him._

_She was mute as he ran his lips over her forehead, lightly as a feather, but that was all it took for her skin to light on fire. She was helpless to the onslaught of her anticipation, no matter how wrong it seemed, she could not think past the pleasure she knew he was capable of giving her._

_His lips ran over her eyelids, and then the tip of her nose and then finally her mouth, where he gently parted her lips with his tongue. Her hands crawled up his back, fingers pressed into his skin as they kissed, clinging onto each other for dear life. She could feel that he sought to comfort her, but the wound in her heart was too raw, too tender for her to forgive him._

_So with all the self control she ever possessed, Anna gave his shoulders one hard push, sending him stumbling backwards._

_"I said 'no,' Your Majesty, and I meant it."_

_She saw the avid lust quickly yield to disappointment, followed by a hint of resigned sadness as each emotion flitted through his expression. _

_Without another word, Anna turned on her heel and left the throne room, feeling as though she had just knocked the final nail into her own coffin._

_

* * *

_

_The port of Bangkok was alight with celebration, news of a white elephant sighting in Prachin Buri had sent the people into a clamorous uproar. There were drums being beaten enthusiastically, singing and dancing, and general mayhem. Louis had somehow procured a flag of his own and was waving it defiantly the whole carriage ride to the port. He was vocal about his opinion of leaving Siam, but since she remained firm in her decision, he had surrendered himself to the situation. She could not forgive herself for Tuptim's execution, she held herself responsible for it since Tuptim may have had a chance if Anna had not made such an outrageous scene in the courtroom. _

_The only way to move on was to leave, she would have had to eventually anyway. It would have been only too easy, had it not felt like she was ripping her heart out. Mongkut had not spoken to her since they quarreled in the throne room, she in turn could not bring herself to even look at him without anger bubbling up from within her._

_On her way to the register, she was annoyed to find the Kralahome standing in front of it. He had his arms crossed, a thoughtful and grave air about his posture. She allowed herself to approach him despite her initial misgivings. _

_"What is it?" She asked without ceremony._

_"Sir," He bowed his head a little in greeting. "You are aware that there are certain boundaries that I cannot cross, one being to contradict king."_

_She stared at him with puzzlement, wary that he was here on behalf of said king._

_"Yes, and may God help him." Her throat quivered but she stepped past him to order her tickets._

_After she was finished, the Kralahome continued to badger her._

_"Sir, there is no white elephant." _

_This caught her attention. She looked him straight in the eyes, unflinchingly, and tried to listen without any thoughts of resentment._

_"King invented sighting in Prachin Buri so that he can escort Royal family to greet imaginary beast, as is custom."_

_"I don't understand."_

_She kept quiet as the Prime Minister turned and glanced around cautiously, looking for anyone who may be listening too closely. When he found no such person, he turned back to her and continued._

_They stepped further away from the register, in case the cashiers were eavesdropping._

_The older man's tone was urgent when he delivered his words._

_"There is a traitor marching on palace."_

_Anna's eyes flashed with fear, her mind instantly flying to an image of her lover and the children betrayed by such an enemy._

_"Deception's only purpose is to hide children in monastery, in village of Nong Khai!" He took her hands, urgent desperation in his face._

_"Please, Ma'am. My king believes you are wise, you are only one who can persuade him to stay with children until army returns to Bangkok, and palace is made secure."_

_She battled with her conscience, concern for Mongkut and the children most prominent among her other raging emotions. Her mouth was slack and she grasped for words._

_"Please Ma'am." The imploring tone of the once biased man finally convinced her to return._

_

* * *

_

_"Everything in order, gentleman?" The king asked as he and his guards walked through the front entryway._

_"We have fireworks and musicians to help with celebration of white elephant, Your Majesty."_

_He said nothing, only nodded as the doors were pulled wide open for him to step through. He watched as all of his subjects dropped to their knees, foreheads all touched to the scorching marble floor in prostration. He placed his hands akimbo, gazing out at his people, and then his eyes stopped as they came upon the one he thought had left long ago._

_She stood, tall and upright among the masses of people who could not even consider looking at him without being commanded to do so. She wore her black bonnet today, and her gray dress, the one she wore when she first met him. _

_He willed himself not to hurry his pace as he reached the bottom of the staircase, because she did not move at all. She pulled him to her with a look in her eye, one he was hypnotized by, a moth to the enticing flame._

_He stood before her, still somewhat stung by their exchange of harsh words, and watched as she launched promptly into speech._

_"I have just been informed of the nature of your expedition, Your Majesty, and erm, I would like to ask a few questions about the dangers involved, as I've heard at times that wild elephants cannot be reasoned with."_

_Anna paused to look meaningfully at him, a sort of tentativeness portrayed in her soft voice. He looked away, still not ready to forgive her._

_"Am surprised at time Ma'am has took to arouse such curiosity. Rather make sure that Ma'am not miss her boat." He was carefully aloof, wishing to distance himself from the woman who caused him much emotional distress in nearly every possible way._

_He continued on his path out of the palace, followed by his train of attendants, servants, and family. She also kept in step with him, almost jogging to not fall behind._

_"We have already missed our boat Your Majesty, so that I may speak with you now."_

_He still did not look at her._

_"King cannot miss his boat." Was all he bothered to say._

_"If it will not be inconvenient, we shall like to go with you."_

_"Jungle is no place for proper English teacher."_

_She rolled her eyes exasperatedly but he was too busy staring straight ahead to notice._

_"No, it is not, Your Majesty, which is why the presence of one in your cortege might help ensure your display."_

_He slowed down, realizing her true sincerity._

_"Something I feel, for many reasons, I would very much like to do." Anna declared. Her speech was laced with underlying history, romance and passion, Mongkut found it impossible to say no to her._

* * *

The Ormondes had been traveling for three weeks on a stormy, wind-tossed sea, and the weather did not look any better than before. Camille was unusually fussy, crying often, and because of this, Anna kept her in her arms nearly all the time. She made sure not to neglect her other children however, she took the time to engage Louis and Avis in conversation, she even took the position of a teacher on the ship for the children of the other passengers. William seemed more happy than she'd seen him in a very long time. Often, he would spend time with the man who took the cabin next to theirs, an assistant to the British ambassador to Burma. 

His name was Sir Richard Stanton. He was a robust and pot-bellied man whose face was pudgy and pink, but nevertheless completely friendly. He was quite taken with Anna, he always invited both Anna and William for tea. Upon meeting the three Ormonde-Leonowens children, he was instantly smitten. He flattered Avis constantly, who quite enjoyed receiving the attention of such an important man. Richard played chess with Louis, teaching him strategy and technique to improve his game. Richard Stanton had a wife, fortunately, so Anna was not left without someone to converse with.

Her name was Emmeline. She was a fine lady of maybe two and forty, yet she had retained an elegant resemblance of what might have once been a very lustrous beauty. Richard still fawned over her as if they were still newlyweds since they were both very affectionate people. Anna hoped she and William would live to that age and still be able to treat each other with fondness.

One reasonably calm afternoon, Anna was quietly reading in the Stanton's cabin with Emmeline. They had become good friends over the time that had passed on the ship, they had discovered that they shared many of the same literary tastes.

Emmeline leaned back into her chintz armchair, clucking happily as she shut _Pride and Prejudice_ with a dreamy gleam in her eyes.

"I never tire of this book, believe it or not. I must have read it at least a dozen times, if not more!"

Anna glanced up at the older woman and closed her own book, which happened to be a French novel, a grin playing across her face.

"Really now? I find that no matter how many times I read a book, I either like it the very first time or not at all."

"Oh my dear you really are a cynic, aren't you?" Emmeline teased.

"Oh my lady, I think you are a whimsical romantic, caught up in your novels and lovelorn characters rather than the reality of things." Anna teased right back.

The two women shared a knowing laugh and then lapsed into a companionable silence.

"Honestly, how long do you think it could take to reach Burma on these tempestuous waters?" The younger of the two asked with audible impatience.

"Well, I have sailed from England and back many times, and I have faced worse than this. Still, it could be another few weeks or even up to another month!"

"Oh, bother. I am especially anxious to be on land again, my little Camille does not seem to like life on the ocean very much." Anna mused with a bent brow. Emmeline noticed a change in her companion, a sort of quiet hope brimming her eyes as each day passed.

"Anna, really, is there something I should know?" She asked tentatively.

She looked startled at the sudden change of topic, her hands went to her hair, which was quite artfully pinned up in a becoming chignon. Anna fiddled with it to avoid looking Emmeline in the eye.

"I am tired of the constant rocking of this ship, it upsets my stomach and makes my head spin, that was all I meant. Now if you'll excuse me, Lady Stanton, I really must check up on Camille-"

Anna made to stand, but stopped when Emmeline bristled and rose her hand.

"Please Anna, stay. You are so high strung sometimes, I forget you hate people prying into your affairs. Forgive me for my nosiness."

"I do not mean to be so uptight, my lady." She murmured quietly.

"It is alright, dear, but may I ask you a personal question?"

Anna nodded, rubbing tiredly at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Is William good to you?"

"Why yes of course!"

"Again, forgive me in advance, but you seem...unfulfilled. I have noticed the restlessness in your behavior, as if you are in a constant internal debate, and you cannot share the contents with anyone for fear of shame!"

Anna was speechless with shock.

"Do not look so gobsmacked, Anna, after all I have four daughters of my own and I pride myself in being rather perceptive of dilemmas of the heart."

"What do you want to hear, Emmeline? I...I did have someone in Siam, but he was never really mine, if that makes any sense at all. I believed he loved me for a time, and being away from him has been very hard."

The older lady's eyes became focused and she turned to face her friend in order to listen more closely.

"Go on."

Anna inhaled deeply and decided that if she unloaded some of the weight of her troubles to such a trustworthy woman, she'd probably feel nothing if a little bit better afterwards.

"I still love him. I thought it would fade away after so many months of being in England, but now that I find myself returning to the East, my feelings are resurfacing stronger than I thought was possible. Just imagine, I married William to move on with my life, and now William is bringing me back to the very place I sought to escape! I should have known, he is an army officer after all."

"This man you speak of, have you kept any correspondence with him?"

Anna's eyes darkened at that.

"Yes. I've written him many letters recently, but I have not received a reply in months. I think he is trying to get past everything, and I suppose I should be grateful...I just..." Anna's eyes moistened at that, "I just did not think it would hurt so very much."

Emmeline looked at her young friend with much pity and offered her a handkerchief. Anna dabbed roughly at her eyes, refusing to break down in front of such a distinguished woman.

"There, there, my dear. My advice is to focus on your children, be the best mother and wife to your family. Commit yourself to them, and you will find salvation in the very deed. My youngest daughter had been in love with a man for many years, but he did not feel anything for her but gentle affection. She pined for him, even until after she was married to another. I told her the same advice I gave to you just now, and today she is a proud, happy mother of twin boys. She no longer thinks of the man she loved from before, she learned to grow into a mature, strong person. I have no doubt you will do the same yourself, Anna."

Anna broke into a smile in spite of herself.

"You are wonderful, Lady Emmeline, promise me that we will have tea sometimes when we arrive in Burma."

The older woman returned her smile and placed her hand over Anna's.

"Of course, dear. I shall be delighted to invite you to our house, we have gardens which I am sure you will enjoy-"

The two of them chatted amiably, as the boat continued to rock back and forth, only now, there was a stirring of irrepressible hope in her heart.

* * *

It took them another month to sail around the west coast of Africa, and then they had to stop for supplies in the south for a week. After that brief delay, the Ormondes set sail once again. Anna was loathe to embark on the journey, she had enjoyed the fresh air and the breathing room that South Africa afforded. Camille was three months old, she grew rapidly into a pink cheeked, curious little person. Her eyes were clearly Anna's, but there was something about her lips and the shape of her face that Anna knew came from Mongkut. 

Knowing that she had a part of him through their daughter was a very comforting thought indeed. She could not stop the awe that must have showed in her face everytime Camille frowned, laughed, burped, sighed, or even smiled. Everything was a treasure, she felt utterly blessed to have this baby.

She was alone once again with Camille, William and Richard were having drinks, Emmeline was tutoring Avis in her needlework. Louis was out on the deck, talking with the ship's hands, while Moonshee watched over him. She had no idea where Beebe was, probably seeing to the laundry.

Camille was dressed in a cotton gown because of the heat, and she was resting on Anna's lap. She rocked gently back and forth on her chair, humming a sweet tune, as she gazed down at her daughter.

"I still wish your father could have seen you. He'd be so proud, I think. He loves all of his offspring, after all, no matter where they're from, right?" Anna exhaled a quiet laugh at that.

Camille closed her eyes, appearing to fall asleep.

"I miss him, little one. I miss him ever so much."

She sounded more like she was talking to herself than Camille. Nostalgia and heartache were old friends, she no longer fought against them. She embraced them, finding that it was easier to make them a permanent part of her instead of denying them.

Memories were just as painful, but she learned to bask in the happiness they stood for, and whenever things were bad, she simply closed her eyes and thought back to them. When she really could not stand it, she would go further for just a moment more, and then she knew she could bear anything. Her emotional tolerance was at an all time high for once.

* * *

(December, 1866) 

_She was sitting in her drawing room, silently sketching idly on her pad of paper, when the doors were thrown open suddenly. She shot up from her chair, dropping her graphite pencils and her pad. Mongkut barged in, a fire ablaze in his darkened eyes. Her rattled nerves had not fully recovered, her heart began to race and blood was rushing loudly through her ears._

_"Your Majesty! What are you doing here?" Anna barked without ceremony. She had not completely forgiven him since their explosive argument in the throne room, days ago, even though his life had been threatened and she could have lost him._

_He continued to advance on her until he stood nose to nose with her._

_"King has unfinished business to settle with you. Did you think you would get away that easily, when you disobey King's direct orders?"_

_He was of course, referring to her rash, of-the-moment decision of staying behind to distract the enormous rebel army under General Alak's command despite him specifically telling her to go hide in Nong Khai with the wives and children._

_"I followed my instincts, sir, and obviously they worked, since you are still alive." She snapped._

_Mongkut's nostrils flared at that. _

_"You gave King greatest scare of life, bad enough that half my army was recruited by a traitor against me. How do you think I felt when I realized it must have been you setting fireworks off? If the scheme had not worked, you might have been killed, and then where would I be? So, King has decided to punish schoolteacher this afternoon. It may be several hours, but by then you will be begging me to continue." His last few words dropped a significant amount of volume, his tone became a husky murmur._

_She shivered in spite of herself and bit her bottom lip, knowing that the motion always unsettled him._

_"I am very sorry to have worried you so, Your Majesty, and I will gladly accept any punishment you have to offer." Anna replied, a pleasant heat already coursing through her lower body. _

_He pulled her by the waist flush against him and captured her lips in a searing kiss. She gladly opened her mouth to him, her hands found their way to the back of his head. He let out a low groan, the sound sending a tremor right down between her legs._

_"You picked the right time to pay me a visit, Your Majesty, since my son and servants are out at the market, I am not expecting them back until supper." Anna breathed between kisses. Mongkut's only response were grunts, but she really did not care, all she knew was that she was craving his touch all over her body._

_He skillfully manuvered her backwards, out of the drawing room, across the hall and into her bedroom. The curtains were all drawn shut, and he kicked the door closed as they walked past it, still entwined in each others' arms. It was rather difficult since her skirts could have caused him to stumble, but he had long since gotten used to handling her despite them._

_Mongkut lifted her blouse over her head and paused to look at her, admiring the way her breasts were pushed upwards by her tightly laced bodice. He wanted to remove the restricting under garment from her, but first she focused on removing her skirt. He repressed a laugh at the sight of the whalebone contraption, as well as the idea that such a garment could be considered fashionable._

_Finally, she was only in her bodice and shift, and he was free to begin his punishment._

_"Do not move." Was all he said. He moved to stand behind her, slowly unlacing the bodice as he kissed the nape of her neck. _

_When the bodice was finished, he lifted the cotton shift over her head and was delighted by her nakedness. She stood, exposed and visibly aroused, her face wearing an expression of feverish anticipation._

_He on the other hand, was still fully dressed, but not any less aroused than she. He had waited three days before he was at last free to go to her, after he cleared up the aftermath of the "Alak" crisis. Now he could have her all to himself, and by God, he was going to take advantage of his free time._

_His fingers went to her hair, where he went about undoing her updo, experience had taught him how to remove the pins and complex braids woven in her flaxen locks._

_She sighed when her tresses were released, her ruddy hair tumbling down her back in a gold waterfall. He encouraged her to turn around, as soon as she did so, he kissed her again. Upon reaching the bed, she collapsed onto the mattress while he removed his clothes. He could feel her hungry gaze on his body, he made sure to take his time in undressing._

_Mongkut finally finished undressing, he moved on top of her and ran his hands unashamedly over her body. His right hand gently grasped her breast and caressed it, relishing the moan she let out at the contact._

_In his other hand, he held his silk belt. She eyed it questioningly, but he silently answered her query as he took both of her wrists and tied them to the bed post over her head._

_"Your Majesty what are you doing?" Anna laughed._

_He grinned roguishly at her._

_"I did say this was a punishment, no?"_

_She merely laughed, but desire quickly filled her eyes again._

_When he was finished, he couldn't help but gaze at her. Because of the way her arms were positioned, her back was arched and her breasts pushed out invitingly. Her pink lips were parted slightly, her dainty waist and nicely rounded hips all made him more determined to make this experience worthwhile for the both of them._

_He traced her jawline with his index finger, down her neck and clavicle, between her breasts, and down her flat abdomen. His hand stopped just before it reached the place she craved his touch. She groaned in frustration as she tried to lift her hips to meet his hand._

_"Oh this is punishment indeed, darling." Anna said. _

_He chuckled, moving his hand to her thigh, and then down to her calf._

_"You will think twice next time before you disobey me, won't you, Ma'am?"_

_She rolled her eyes, causing him to laugh._

_"Since when do I have any scruples against ignoring your orders, darling?"  
_

_"Good point. But it doesn't make this any less thrilling, does it?"_

_The same hand trailed a path up to her inner thigh. He ran his fingertips up and down, each time reaching her centre a little closer, but not quite._

_"God, touch me, please."_

_"I want to hear you beg."_

_Anna was breathing hard now, her face contorted with frustration mixed with lust._

_"Mmmm...please, Your Majesty-"_

_He could not resist at this point, his digits delved into her heat, plunging inside her. She gasped, pushing her hips forward. He kissed her as he moved his hand within her, swallowing the tiny little noises she made. _

_His tongue mimicked his finger's actions as he increased his speed, pushing into her deeply. He could feel her muscles tightening around him, a sign that she was very close to achieving release. Anna rolled her hips around his hand, knowing that the tidal wave of her climax was nearly approaching..._

_And when she felt she was going to come, Mongkut slipped out of her, abruptly ending the blinding pleasure she felt._

_"Mongkut!" She cried at the loss of contact. He loved the way his name rolled off her tongue, he much preferred being called by his real name during intimate moments like these._

_"Yes?"_

_"Don't be daft! I was so close!"_

_He smiled torturously._

_"I know."_

_Anna sighed exasperatedly._

_"You are so cruel."_

_He chuckled again and proceeded in untying her wrists. When her arms were unbound, her fingers immediately flew to her centre._

_"If you won't grant me release, then I will."_

_His eyes widened at that. She felt a bit smug when she watched him watching her touch herself. She knew he wanted to be the one giving her pleasure, he had never seen her grant herself the same. Her fingers disappeared into her moist cleft, and soon soft moans of satisfaction began to escape from her lips._

_"Ah...Oh..." She was close again, so close...and then she felt him remove her hands and positioned himself to take her._

_"I will not have you climaxing alone." Mongkut scolded half-heartedly._

_He took his time in sliding into her, her velvety warm walls stretching to accomodate his size. _

_"Yes, lover, oh yes..." She whispered, her hands skimming over to clutch at his buttocks._

_He did not hesitate in initiating movement. The air was silent except for their consecutive groans and the sound of the sweaty skin slapping together. He placed his hands on both sides of her head to support his weight as he moved faster and faster, control slowly ebbing away._

_Anna arched to meet him thrust for thrust, letting him know he was pleasing her very much by tightening her grip on his lower back, her nails scratching slightly into his skin._

_"Kiss me." She growled. He consented, lowering his head to hers and claiming her lips roughly. He pulled back and she let out a sound of raw animal pleasure._

_"Touch me." She commanded. He rose a hand to her breast, pinching her nipple lightly. _

_"Faster!" She cried, and he couldn't refuse such a demand if his life depended on it._

_He was out of control now, his movements harsh and careless as he felt his orgasm approach. She was so wild underneath him, her eyes never leaving his, showing complete trust and a deep love, two emotions that he knew were reflected in his own-_

_"Yes!" He shouted as wave after wave of completion coursed through him. Anna cried out equally incoherent phrases as her internal muscles spasmed around him._

_Mongkut collapsed on top of her, utterly spent and breathing raggedly._

_"That was the best punishment I've ever received. We should do this more often." Anna's eyes sparkled with humor._

_He gave in to a rumbling chuckle as he moved off of her. He enveloped her in his arms as he replied. _

_"Well, you'll just have to go even more out of your way to displease me, Ma'am."_

_She playfully swatted him on his arm as she snuggled into his embrace._

_"Only if you should be so lucky." Anna admitted sheepishly._

_It did not take long for desire to stir up again._

* * *

By the time Anna had reached the end of the memory, she was slightly out of breath and sweaty. She was grateful that William was nowhere near. 

_Dear lord, no wonder I got pregnant!_ She thought amusedly. Camille was asleep, so she got up and placed her in her crib.

She moved to stand by the porthole, looking out into the sea. The water sloshed around, and there was nothing but horizon for miles and miles.

_Burma, here we come,_ Anna thought seriously.

* * *

TBC... 

A/N: Please r and r!!!


	8. Arrival at Yangon

**Title:** Camille

**A/N:** A huge thank you to all of you who review my fic, you guys rock!!! I am not too sure about this chapter, I hope it's not too abrupt. Please r and r and tell me what you think!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything or anyone except Camille and William.

* * *

**Chapter Eight:** Arrival at Yangon

* * *

(April, 1868) 

"Land! Land!!" Louis cried exuberantly, glancing back at his parents whose eyes were simultaneously alight with relief and excitement. He was now thirteen years old, they had in fact just celebrated his birthday, but his new age did not seem to strengthen his maturity.

"No more walks around the deck, no more crummy bread, no more nothing!" The young boy shouted, throwing his hands in the air as he did an endearing little jig.

"Hush, dear, you'll distract the captain." Anna chastised gently, because she too was glad that they had finally reached their destination. She could make out the harbor in the distance, the smoke rising in the air as the hustle and bustle took place beneath it.

Avis was smiling very widely, cooing silly phrases in French to Camille. She was firmly nestled in William's arms, her eyes open and darting every which way in curiosity of all the new sights, smells and sounds.

"Mother, where are we going to live again?" She asked, placing a strand of her curly brown tresses behind her ear so that the wind would not blow it into her face.

"The army has provided a house for us, a generous property fitted for a man of your father's rank."

"Ah, right." Avis replied, contemplating her immediate future.

Louis heard this interchange and piped in.

"Are you sure they won't make us wait again, like King Mongkut did?"

They all noticed Anna's sudden stiffness, but they attributed it to the sudden gust of cool wind that rushed past.

"I am sure darling. The house should be nicely prepared for us."

"Anna, I do believe our little princess has tired of my company," William chuckled as Camille began to squirm discontentedly in his grasp. Anna grinned and gladly took the child from her husband.

"I am going to ask Captain Orton how long it will take before we reach the port." He said to her, giving her forearm a light squeeze before he turned and headed to the captain's cabin.

Anna remained on deck with her children, looking out as they approached Burma.

"Ma maaa." A faint two syllables, but they were ones she had been longing to hear.

She looked down at Camille, whose eyes seemed to sparkle mischievously as she reached up with her right hand.

"What was that, Camille? What did you say?" She asked, almost afraid it had been a fluke and she had been hearing things.

"Maaaa-maaaaa..." Came the cry, causing Anna to laugh heartily at the indignant look on her daughter's face.

"Goodness, you are growing so fast," Anna said.

"Mother, I think you should be proud Camille is following in my example of such intelligence!" Louis proclaimed, mirth dancing across his face. Avis smirked and ran a hand through his blonde fringe, taunting him with a sceptical eyebrow.

"If Camille if following Louis' example, I think you had better be worried instead!"

"The both of you are absolutely incorrigible."

Louis blinked.

"What does that mean again?"

The two women rolled their eyes as Louis tried to remember.

* * *

"Oh my, this is lovely!" Anna beamed at the entrance of their new house. It was settled in a cleaner part of the city of Yangon, it had a lovely garden in which she couldn't wait to begin work. The floors and walls were clean fortunately, it looked to be in quite good repair. They had just arrived when the days were their hottest, everyone was sweating profusely through their clothes, but the heat couldn't drag Anna down. 

One week seemed to fly past. William had reported to his commanding officer and was gone every day from very early in the morning until past supper in the evening. He was training recruits, he was their leader in everything from strategy to physical fitness. Anna was very proud of him, finally she felt good about returning to this area of the world. Camille continued to grow in leaps and bounds while Louis and Avis learned to adjust to the land and its people.

They had all had a hand in unpacking things until the very last box was empty. The walls were adorned with paintings and even some simple pencil sketches done by Avis and her mother, adding a more personal touch to their quiant home. Louis made friends with the local children, the lot of them usually played games and ran about the neighborhood during the late afternoon. Anna tutored her children in the morning and they had their daily walks in the garden for exercise as well.

Everyday life was pleasant, surprisingly, but the longing inside her burned more than ever. She would glance out the window and watch the sky as the sun set, wondering if _he_ was watching the same sun as it disappeared below the horizon.

It was such exquisite torture to be nearer to him than she had been in months, yet still she was in the neighboring country and therefore unable to touch, hold, or simply look at him. She had been contemplating sending a letter but she realized it would be a violation of her own request: that he should not ever hear from her again in hopes of making her separation from him easier to withstand. A brief but powerful pang of anguish swept through her. If only she could see him again, she did not mind so much if he would not notice her, she only wished to rest her eyes upon him in person. The very action would irrevocably soothe her, maybe one glance toward him would last her the rest of her lifetime without him.

Anna was pulled out of her heavy thoughts by some lighthearted laughter from below. She saw Beebe clutching Camille in her arms, those same arms which carried Louis, as well as Avis, when they were little children. A smile was drawn to her mouth, Camille seemed to spot her above and was reaching her chubby arms out with an enormous smile that revealed two adorable dimples on her cheeks.

"Memsahib, I think she would be delighted if you joined us in our stroll!" Beebe cried.

"Alright, give me one moment, I'll be right there-" Anna replied before she hurried downstairs and out into the yard.

"Oh Memsahib, she is a spitting image of you." The elder lady chuckled as she handed the baby to her mother. Anna settled Camille comfortably against her chest, which was thankfully completely dry now for she stopped lactating. The little girl spoke silly baby phrases which Anna parroted back. It had become a new routine, Anna hoped that little by little, she could encourage Camille to speak. However, the child was barely three months old, the fact that she was uttering anything at all was an excellent sign.

"Mama!"

Camille reached toward the orange and fushcia streaked sky where a flock of indistinguishable birds flew past, their silhouettes dark against the colorful clouds.

It took Anna a moment to decipher what she was saying.

"Oh, oh yes, the birds! They are very pretty aren't they?"

She planted a kiss on the top of Camille's head and smoothed her jet black tresses down, which had been lightly ruffled by the gentle breeze.

"Shall we have supper Memsahib? I can begin preparing it, if you wish." Beebe inquired.

"Let's wait until William comes home. I want us to eat together. For now, I think there is a little bit more of light left for Camille and I to mill about outside."

"As you wish, Memsahib."

Beebe observed Anna as she overzealously pointed out different flowers and shrubbery to her daughter, who looked more interested in tugging on her mother's hair than listening to the complicated botanical lecture Anna was spouting.

* * *

As it turned out, the family had supper without its head. William still had not returned home by nine in the evening, not a peep came from the front door. As the night dragged on, Anna waited anxiously for her husband's return. She could not imagine what could be keeping him so late, unless there was a dreadful accident of the sort... 

Avis had convinced her to change into her night gown, but still Anna could not fathom sleeping. The children were all tucked safely away into their beds as Anna paced back and forth in her room. Why had no telegram or anything been sent by now?

She kept a single candle lit the whole time, willing herself to believe that her husband would come through the door at any moment, alive and well, maybe exhausted, but still breathing at least!

Finally, in the early hours of the morning, her ears picked up on someone trudging up the stairs. She rushed to her bedroom door and pulled it open to find William, but as she looked him over, she immediately sensed that something was amiss.

"Good god, Will, it's nearly two! Where the devil have you been? I've been worried sick about you." She cried as she went and removed his overcoat.

"I am sorry Anna," William uttered, but the context of his apology sounded deeper than she would have expected it to be. He sounded rather guilty for something. Dread grew within her gut.

"Well, at least you're home now."

She continued to examine him with her eyes, but it was rather hard since she only had a single candle's light to illuminate the room.

It only took another three seconds for her to realize where he had been and why he had not returned until very late.

"Oh my god-" Tears welled up in her eyes as she instinctively backed away from him.

William opened his mouth to defend himself.

"It's not what you think, dear, you see a few lads and I were looking for a good time in town and-"

"Oh please, spare me the excuses! D'you think me stupid? D'you think you can sell me a cheap alibi to get you back into my good graces? I know exactly where you've been sir, you could have at least made it a little less obvious before you dared show your face to me." She shouted.

"Come now, you've been to a whore-house! Your shirt is buttoned completely wrong and untucked, your breeches sagging, your hair is disheveled and you smell like some damned potpourri!" Her voice cracked on the last word.

He sighed, as if she were chastising him for breaking a favorite porcelain figurine rather than having extra-marital sex.

"I was drunk, Anna. I had dinner with some friends and I guess they must have tinkered with my drink. I do not remember half of what happened."

"This is not the responsible, reliable man I married! This is a-a...an outright pig!" Anna spat.

"And this is the woman who charmed a polygamous king into her bed, fell pregnant with his child and married a man who was silly enough to take care of her and the said child."

At that, she was absolutely stunned. Never before had he ever felt so provoked as to torment her with her past.

"Why did you do this?" She whispered.

"Because those women give me more attention than you ever did." said William without any regret in his face.

Anna was so upset that all she could do was shove him back out into the corridor and bolt her bedroom door. She fell into bed with her cap and dressing gown still on, suddenly too weary to remove them or to do anything else but cry herself to sleep.

* * *

TBC... 

A/N: Yes, I know, shame on William! tsk, tsk. Tell me what you think please, review!


	9. Colors of the Heart

**Title:** Camille

**Chapter Nine: **Colors of the Heart

**A/N:** Thanks to each and everyone of you who continue to review my fic! I love you guys! Here's the next part, k? Make sure to r and r at the end!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

_

* * *

(October, 1863)_

_"What is your favorite color?"_

_He opened his bleary eyes and found her leaning on her elbow, her chin perched lightly on her hand. A slow, deep chuckle escaped from his throat. Anna gazed at him and saw an adorable, sleepy affection in his expression. She couldn't help planting what was meant to be a brief kiss on his lips, but he refused to let her escape. He held her to him to prolong the meeting of their lips, it was such a sweet moment between them. Morning was slowly rolling over the palace and he had postponed his schedule for the day just so he could sleep in with her._

_When he released her, she sat up again, her hair partially covering her naked chest. _

_"So, I shall ask again, what is your favorite color, sir?" There was an infectious amount of playfulness in her tone. He wondered why of all times was she asking such a mundane question when all he wanted to do was hold her and fall asleep. But, being a fool in love, he paused to think and came up with an answer._

_"Green. The color of the mountains and jungle. King loves vivid hue of green." Mongkut said._

_She smiled at him then. He felt as if the sun had shined her gentle rays upon him, warming him to the core._

_"My favorite color is deep burgundy."_

_He sighed in mock-exasperation and pushed himself up so that he was sitting upright now that he was more awake._

_"Anna, why are we discussing such menial things so early in the morning?"_

_She let out a melodious peal of laughter at the genuine confusion on his face._

_"Oh I don't know! I just...I did not know yours, and it has been bothering me for quite some time but I kept forgetting to ask you. It just popped into my head first thing when I woke up. And I believe even the mundane things can be the most important in the world. I believe that the more minor details are shared between two people, the closer they can become." _

_At the end of her speech, she blushed a little in embarrassment._

_"You think me silly, don't you, Your Majesty? Or just plain mad?"_

_He let out a breath and grinned ambiguously._

_"Why yes."_

_Anna smirked and swatted him teasingly on his arm._

_"Now that I know your favorite color, my love, shall I have something made for you? Perhaps a burgundy English gown of the richest fabric, with a matching-" He fumbled for words until she intervened._

_"Bonnet?"_

_"Yes, that. As well as a parasol to shield your fair face from harsh Siamese sun." Mongkut declared seriously. She wanted to roll her eyes, she should have known that he would interpret this conversation as her angling for a gift. She was no greedy royal mistress! Well, she was greedy, actually, for his love and attention but never for material things._

_"Darling, I don't want a gown, a bonnet, or a parasol even if they were made of silk from the heavens. I honestly just wanted to know what your favorite color was." Anna said pleadingly as she moved to lay beside him and wrapped her arms over his torso. He enveloped her in his embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head._

_"Alright. No gown for you." He said simply._

_Anna laughed again, the sound setting off a pleasant reverberating sensation in his chest cavity. _

_She closed her eyes, her breathing growing slower as she began to doze off. He held her closer, wanting nothing more than to meld his body into hers, even though he knew that their day would soon begin and this private world between them where he was just a man and she a woman would fade into oblivion._

_"I love you, Anna." He said aloud for the first time. _

_He watched her lips curve into a beautiful smile in her sleep._

_

* * *

_

(May, 1868)

"Oh, my darling, I...I don't know what to say, this is so atrocious." Lady Emmeline Stanton remarked softly as she stood facing the window overlooking the gardens of the Ormonde's estate.

Anna had fallen silent after her concise yet thorough explanation of why her husband had lived in a hotel in the city for the past month, leaving her and the children to their own devices. She still received some of William's income to support their day-to-day life.

She still could not believe that her husband had visited a whorehouse and had not displayed any guilt over it. It was such an insult to her, her head still reeled whenever she recalled the look on his face.

So she sent for Lady Stanton, hoping to receive some emotional support. She had been correct in sending a telegram, Lady Stanton had been more than happy to travel down to Yangon. She was unaccompanied as Lord Stanton had been occupied in business elsewhere.

"So you have not seen or heard of William recently?"

Anna replied negatively as she observed Lady Stanton's graceful posture that now seemed to wilt under deep thought. She was adorned with pearls, in her ears and around her throat, and she was dressed in a becoming shade of the softest powder blue. The color enhanced her blonde hair which was pinned up in fashionable curls.

She felt quite puny in the presence of such an elegant, willowy woman, yet she felt strangely comforted by it as well.

"What shall I do now? I am a wife and a widow again."

Emmeline sighed and went to sit beside her anguished friend.

"I believe that perhaps you and he would be better off spending some time apart. Let him think over his mistake and eventually he will come to the incontrovertible realization that his union with you is worth more than anything else in his life."

Anna listened and acknowledged this as good advice, it gave her a feeling of hope amongst a time of great, unrelenting despair.

"And in the meantime, you will accompany me to the rice festival in Bangkok. I have heard that the royal soothsayer has predicted heavy rainfall and bountiful crops in the oncoming months. And beside that, the king himself has extended and invitation to the Royal Plowing Ceremony. My husband is not available to attend, so I may bring whomever I choose."

Anna was utterly speechless, her jaw slackened and her mouth went dry at the mention of Mongkut. Lady Stanton took this as surprise, totally misunderstanding the brimming of joy on her young friend's face.

"Do you...Do you really mean that, Emmeline?" She smiled with a suspicious gleam in her bright blue eyes.

"Why, of course, you silly duck! Why would I extend an invitation if I did not want you to come along?"

"But, what about my children?" Anna asked, thinking of Camille, Louis and Avis.

"I think your eldest shall be fine tending to the household. She is a young woman, it is about time she learn to run things around here."

Anna nodded because the latter was indeed true, Avis was sixteen years old and was to be launched into society soon.

"I shall ask my son if he would like to come with me. Will it be alright if I brought my Camille? I really do not think I can tolerate being away from her for very long."

"Please, feel free, dear."

"In that case, shall we start your packing, Anna?"

A warm, flooring sensation she associated with the color of the richest red flooded her soul.

* * *

As it turned out, Louis did not want to leave Yangon because he did not wish to miss school or leave his friends. Avis was delighted in being given new responsibilites that made her feel more mature, she flourished under Beebe's instruction. Anna was somewhat reluctant to leave them, but they all assured her that they would get along fine without her for a few weeks. 

Beebe had a word with her before she departed from Burma.

"Memsahib, about the festival...Will you speak to him?"

Anna thought this question over and carefully composed a reply.

"I do not know. I would be content just to look upon him even if he does not see me. If I had more courage, perhaps I would show him his daughter." She said matter-of-factly as she folded some blouses and arranged them in her suitcase.

"Good luck, Memsahib. God be with you on this journey." Beebe murmured prophetically. Anna offered her a small smile as Beebe moved about the room, placing more of her clothes into her suitcases. They said nothing more the rest of the time.

She left with Lady Stanton and Camille the very next morning in Lady Stanton's carriage. The heat was sweltering, she donned her thinnest day gown and Camille was swaddled quite lightly as well. Lady Stanton was miraculously untouched by any perspiration and remained her usual poised self, only jumping when the carriage bumped and bustled along the roads.

The two women chatted casually during the trip, they stopped frequently for breaks and to rest since they were traveling with a small child. Lady Stanton brought some attendants along with her who helped in taking care of Camille when Anna was simply too tired from heat exhaustion.

They continued along like this until they reached the Chao Phraya River and boarded a steamship that would take them south until they reached Bangkok. With each passing day, Anna grew more and more giddy when she thought of her potential reunion with him.

She knew in all probablility that he would not be able to distinguish her amongst the swarming crowds that usually gathered to watch the king bless the crops, but this did nothing for the warring anxiety and delerium that was slowly taking over her.

She wanted so much to see him hold Camille and know that he was the father of her baby. But how was she to explain such a complicated story? And would he believe her if she told him? After all, he was the one who broke off all contact with her. Maybe he did not want to see her again at all.

Anna simply pushed away all of these schemes from her head. She wanted to enjoy herself most of all and try to move past the incident with William's infidelity. She had suffered one thing after another, now was a time for her to breathe again.

She held Camille in her arms as she stood on the deck of the ship, gently bouncing the wide eyed baby as she took in the lovely scenery on the river. The mountains were covered in thick vegetation, there were beautiful mangroves nestled where the river met the land. Anna smiled down at her child, watching with unadulterated amusement as Camille giggled for reasons unknown to everyone but four month old babies.

Lady Stanton seemed to be at ease as well. Her beautiful face was shaded by her stylish hood, but it could not hide her immense satisfaction. Anna decided that the older woman was definitely more suited to a lifestyle with constant travel. The lady never seemed to stay in one place for too long whether it was with or without her husband. She was glad that she was not the only woman who felt she was independent enough to manage without a male escort.

"I own a house in Bangkok. We shall arrive there soon and settle in, tomorrow is the actual festival. Tomorrow we shall attend the festival and socialize with the Siamese aristocracy. There will be other Europeans there naturally, so if you tire of the Oriental's company, you will not be left out." Lady Stanton explained absentmindedly as she squinted. She could have sworn she saw two monkeys leaping from the treetops, but they had disappeared faster than her eyes could keep up with.

"It sounds wonderful, Emmeline. Thank you again for inviting us."

"Please, darling, it is truly my pleasure. I have not enjoyed another woman's company for quite sometime. My husband was my companion on travels such as these for all the years we'd been married, it is refreshing to have a close friend's presence with me instead."

Lady Stanton wiggled a thin index finger above Camille's face, to her surprise, the little girl wrapped her chubby hands around it with a strong grip.

"Bahooo..." The precocious child cried as the women shared a laugh.

"I am glad you are enjoying yourself too darling," Emmeline cooed.

Anna laughed again as the boat continued on its smooth way.

* * *

She was more nervous than she had been in her life. 

Well, maybe that was not quite the truth. She had been full of jitters on her wedding night with her first husband Tom, she had almost been sick when she was presented as a woman for the first time, she nearly fainted when she first met the king of Siam.

And she was about to meet him again. That same feeling of intense butterflies beat rapidly in her seemingly bottomless stomach, her hands were shaking ever so slightly. Lady Stanton noticed this, being very naturally perceptive, and also because she was perceptive, she knew better than to question bluntly about the source of Anna's agitation.

They were standing in the rice paddies on the outskirts of the palace amongst a whole party of European delegates and dignitaries. In front and all around were the cityfolk, some stragglers from the provinces and the Siamese nobility, all awaiting the presence of their king.

Mongkut.

She was going to lay eyes on the man who was the bane of her existence, the only man who ever made her heart beat faster and slower at the same time. She pictured a thousand different ways she could somehow approach him and tell him the truth about her pregnancy, but in her mind, he was never pleased with her reappearance into his life or her abrupt announcement of the child he fathered off her.

Suddenly, she was startled out of her reverie by the swift succession of people who fell prostrate. She barely had time to collect her frayed nerves before she spotted the royal train proceeding to the enormous statue of Buddha. She saw the Kralahome, looking the same as ever, stern and unforgiving in his attire. He was followed by men she recognized as high ranking military officers, most noticeable was the absence of the treacherous Alak. Finally, the harem appeared, all of the dozens of wives padding along lightly and taking their places on the ground before the statue.

And at the end, there he was.

She forgot how to breathe, how to blink, how to move.

All of her feelings for him, everything she had fought so hard to lock away in the corners of her mind came rushing back out to smother her. The familiar, painful burning was stronger than ever as she watched him proceed down the path of bowing and prostrate subjects, hands akimbo as he looked upon them with pride and an appealing dignity in his stance.

He was tall and regal, handsome and intimidating as always. She was standing beside Lady Stanton, who seemed to pick up on Anna's reticence.

"He is stunning, is he not?" Lady Stanton commented, trying to gauge the younger woman's reaction.

The look on Anna's face said it all.

"He is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful," She whispered as she gazed at him. He had not turned in the direction of her party since he was concentrating on the ritual he was performing as he bowed to the statue of Buddha. She looked on with rapt attention, her eyes never once straying.

The audience remained out there in the rice fields, tensely awaiting the tell-tale gray clouds that signified the rains that would fall on the crops. When the king finished his blessing, he made to return from whence he came.

He never once looked in her direction.

Depression washed over her. Finality settled thickly into her joints, making her shoulders droop with dejection. Her hopes of meeting him again were dashed, it was all over.

"Well, that was all splendid, wasn't it, Anna?"

She could only manage a slight nod and a smile that looked more like a grimace than anything else. Pain enveloped her in a welcoming shroud, she was swiftly overcome by a compulsion to chase after him and do anything to get his attention. She just could not move, fear held her in check. Lady Stanton recognized Anna's dazed state, but she was confused because she could not tell which man she was looking at. She decided she would find out later.

"We should be getting back to the house soon so we can be back here in time for dinner."

This made Anna startle.

"Dinner?!"

Emmeline laughed at Anna's flabbergasted expression.

"Why yes, His Majesty is hosting a dinner party in the palace. You are to be my guest, darling."

"Oh." Was all Anna could say. She was so distracted that she did not notice the Lady Thiang staring at her from afar, the slender woman's face painted with shock as she recognized the Englishwoman.

She and Lady Stanton were already long gone by the time Lady Thiang reached Mongkut at the front of the royal procession to inform him of the appearance of someone he secretly yearned to see again.

Mongkut let out a harsh, disbelieving laugh and dismissed his wife at the absurd thought that Anna Leonowens could have returned to the country without notifying him first.

* * *

TBC... 

A/N: R and R as always please!!


	10. Reunion in Bangkok

Title: Camille

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, this is just for fun.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, your input and kind words have inspired me to keep on writing!! Enjoy the next installment. Sorry for the wait...

* * *

**Chapter Ten:** Reunion in Bangkok

* * *

The evening was fast approaching and Anna was still not fully ready for the party. Lady Stanton had really outdone herself, making a huge fuss about her younger friend's attire. She insisted on lending Anna one of her old dresses, despite Anna's modest refusal, Lady Stanton eventually got her way. 

The dress suited Anna exquisitely. It was made of an enticingly touchable silk with an overlaying layer of chiffon on the skirt. The dusty rose color of it enhanced Anna's smooth complexion, it brought out the otherwise unnoticable pink undertones of her skin.

"Emmeline, you are so kind to do this for me." Anna said to her hostess, who was instructing her ladies in waiting on arranging both of their hair.

"Please, Anna, such profuse thanks are unnecessary. It is my pleasure, really, it's almost as if I have a daughter again!" The older woman chuckled.

Even though Lady Stanton was staring at her own reflection in the mirror, Anna was compelled to grin. She was so used to being a mother herself that it felt unusually nice to be attended to instead.

Anna's red-gold tresses were curled and swept up into a loose chignon. There were a few strands that were let loose near the nape of her neck, and a rose was artistically weaved into her chignon. She wore her own pearls in her ears but no other jewelry because she did not think to bring anything else with her.

When the ladies had finished with their hair, Lady Stanton dismissed them with a nod of her head. She stood and surveyed her appearance briefly. After she turned away from the mirror, she gave her charge a once over and then broke into an easy smile.

"You look lovely, my dear."

Anna blushed slightly at the admiration in Emmeline's eyes.

"Thank you, as do you, milady."

Lady Stanton wore a gown of a deep emerald color that set off her stance and still pleasing figure to perfection. She brushed off the complement casually in a way that was purely her own and wrapped her black shawl around her bare shoulders.

"Come, Anna, we should leave now if we want to arrive on time."

When they were walking through the corridor, Anna remembered Camille and wanted to check on her before they left.

"If you would not mind, Emmeline, I should like to see Camille before I leave. Will you wait for me in the carriage?"

"Of course, but please do not take too long, dear. The king may be displeased at tardiness."

Anna nodded and swiftly strode in the direction of her daughter's room. She entered to find the nursemaid clutching Camille and rocking her to sleep.

"Bess, give me my daughter please."

"Yes, Ma'am." The girl relinquished the baby to her mother, rising from the rocking chair and handing over the warm bundle of blankets into Anna's outstretched arms.

Bess left the room, closing the door gently behind her. When Anna heard it click shut, she turned to face her baby with excitement glowing in her eyes.

"My mind is made up, darling. I must talk to him tonight, it is my only chance to confront him on his choice to ignore your existence."

Camille sucked on her thumb contentedly as she stared up at her mother with her father's eyes.

Anna was once again struck by the resemblance, butterflies skittered about in her belly.

"Oh wish me luck sweetheart. I'll surely need it." She whispered. Anna raised Camille up so she could kiss her forehead, then placed her back inside the wooden cradle. She summoned Bess back inside to watch Camille and finally went out of the house. She was helped inside the carriage by the driver and soon they were gone.

* * *

During the carriage ride, all Anna could think about was her king, the man who still controlled her every motion, word and thought. Lady Stanton could sense Anna's tension again as she did that afternoon but did nothing to pry. Sometimes it was better to sit back and observe rather than to push for answers. 

The coach bustled through the streets of Bangkok at a rapid pace that nearly matched the beat of Anna's heart. She peered outside, looking at all the familiar street shops and vendors. The noisy fisherman were trudging home from the docks, children of peasants played on the dirt paths, and bag ladies with carts full of merchandise lined the streets. Even at night the place bustled with a lively clamor. She truly missed this city, being here made her feel like she had turned time back a few years and she was still the same Anna Leonowens she had been before.

At last, their carriage had reached the front of the royal palace. She gazed at the beautiful pagodas and the intricate architecture, automatically thinking of who was behind those walls. They pulled through the massive gateway where formally dressed, armed soldiers stood guard. The carriage halted at the bottom of the glittering marble steps where Lady Stanton and Anna disembarked, careful not to snag their dresses.

Anna stared at her surroundings, feeling the warm night air engulf her and listening to the long forgotten chirp of crickets. After Emmeline was finished instructing the driver on where to wait for them, she beckoned to Anna to follow her.

They made their way up the steps and were joined by equally elegant English courtiers who were dressed in glamorous attire. Anna was inwardly glad that she had chosen to wear one of Emmeline's old dresses, for it was far more sophisticated than anything she had brought with her.

She did not recognize anybody, not that it mattered, for it was not them who she was interested in. Emmeline however waved to many of those she was familiar with, which were her own friends as well as friends of her husband.

When they reached the top of the staircase, Anna spotted none other than the Kralahome standing there shaking hands of the guests as they went inside. She was still a tad wary of the man as she had always been, but she still stood in the queue to shake his hand.

Upon reaching him, she noticed a thunderstruck look of something she would have tagged as anger flit across his face. As all good diplomats learn to do, he quickly shielded it and replaced it with an expression of politeness. He took her hand and shook it in greeting.

"Mrs. Leonowens, what a...shocking surprise to see you. I do not recall seeing your name written on the guest list."

She tried not to look too smug as she replied.

"I am here as a companion of Lady Emmeline Stanton, surely her name was written onto the list, Your Excellency?"

The Prime Minister appraised her appearance coolly and after a moment of long hesitation, he finally let her through the door way.

"Everything alright?" Emmeline queried when Anna rejoined her in the grand hall. The walls glittered with gold, they were lined with beautiful Buddhist statues and flowers of many different colors, overhead there were large chandeliers that she had not recalled from before. All of this was new and very European, she wondered who on Earth persuaded Mongkut in obtaining all of these things.

They continued down the hall and into the back, out of the domed doorway and down another set of stairs that led into the dinner area. She noticed that everything was similar to how she had planned the anniversary ball all those years ago. The table was at least twenty feet long, Anna observed the slightly taller and more ornate chair that must have been the king's assigned seat at the head of the table. The place settings and decor were very elegant, they had a distinctly feminine touch to them.

There were already several dignitaries- English and Siamese alike- that were sitting in their proper places. Lady Stanton was directed to her seat and then showed Anna where she was to sit next to her. The man on Anna's left was an elderly gentleman who introduced himself as soon as she lowered herself into the chair.

"I am Lord Harry Bedingfield, pleased to make your acquaintance, madam." He simpered, his voice turning out to be a displeasing nasally sound. Anna tried not to show her disappointment as she bowed her head in salutation.

"I am Mrs. Anna Ormonde. It is a pleasure, milord." She said politely.

He offered her a haughty smile before turning to his other side to make conversation with the next man, something which she was inwardly glad of.

Lady Stanton seemed calm and had retained her trademark tranquility, but her eyes flew wide suddenly and she sprang up out of her seat, almost knocking over her champagne glass. Anna watched as the woman hurried to greet some people she did not know. She was content by herself, sitting complacently as she waited anxiously for a sight of the king, who was bound to make an appearance soon.

Anna was sitting rather far from the head of the table, she did not know whether to be grateful or disappointed about. She wanted a little time to gather her wits and summon any courage she could find inside herself, but now the anticipation was killing her.

By now, almost everyone was seated and chatting amiably amongst themselves except her. The two young ladies sitting across her were very beautiful but very snobbish, so she did not even attempt conversation with them. She resigned herself to wait until Mongkut came out and walked down the grand staircase.

She flicked her gaze slightly to the right and was extremely surprised to see Lady Thiang standing there, followed by some of the other wives. They were once again dressed in European attire, each swathed in lace and velvet despite the warm weather. Lady Thiang was breath-takingly stunning in a sage green gown, her black hair and tanned skin complemented by the hue of her dress. Her eyes had fixed upon Anna as well, there was only friendly warmth and affection in her eyes.

Anna immediately stood and half-jogged to greet Lady Thiang with a wide smile.

"Lady Thiang, it has been too long."

The willowy consort grinned and took Anna's hand to shake it as was custom.

"Indeed it has, Ma'am Anna. How are you? I did not know you were to come tonight."

"Quite well, I suppose. I was invited here by Lady Emmeline Stanton, her husband was not able to join her.And yourself?"

Lady Thiang threw her glance from side to side and then back at Anna.

"Good. I...I do not suppose that you have seen the king yet?" She asked urgently.

Anna frowned at the secretive tone of the other's voice.

"No of course not, why?"

"Er, well-"

She was interrupted by a cry of her name, she responded by turning away from Anna and toward the source of the call.

Anna watched a young woman of maybe twenty years approach Lady Thiang and felt the air temporarily knocked out of her lungs.

"There you are, madam, I have looked high and low for you. I need assistance with the children, they are to sing first before His Majesty comes out to greet everyone. Oh, who is this you've been talking to? It seems I do not know her."

Anna forced herself to smile as Lady Thiang introduced her.

"This is Anna Leonowens, former school teacher of royal children. Ma'am Anna, this is Miss Christianna Hardcastle, current teacher of royal children."

Anna shook Miss Hardcastle's hand, feeling her insides squirm for a reason unbenknownst to the rest of her.

"It is nice to finally be able to meet you, Mrs. Leonowens. You left a remarkably large shadow for me to overcome, although I hope you would see that I have succeeded."

The young woman's words were delivered sweetly, but Anna instantly tried to decipher the double meaning behind them. She saw that Miss Hardcastle was very handsome, blessed with a voluptuous figure and pleasing features. Her eyes sparkled with gaiety but they also spoke of a very irritating air of arrogance, possibly provoked by Anna's presence.

"I'm sure you have done a splendid job, as well." She said, trying to sound sincere.

"Yes, well, Lady Thiang and I must fetch the children. It was very nice to meet you." The girl demurred and turned on her heel, expecting Lady Thiang to follow.

"She is rather high strung," Lady Thiang chuckled at Anna's look of annoyance in Miss Hardcastle's direction. Then, with more urgency, she uttered, "Ma'am, King will be very shocked when he sees you here. He may be angry-"

"Lady Thiang, are you coming?" Miss Hardcastle called.

"Yes, yes!" Lady Thiang cried as she followed at Christianna's heel, throwing Anna a look of subtle dismay.

The ominous warning of Lady Thiang left Anna even more apprehensive. She quickly returned to her place between Emmeline and Lord Bedingfield, but before she had time to sit back down, she spotted the beginning of the king's train as they made their way down the stairs. First was the Kralahome, followed by some military officials who were formally dressed in breeches and shirts. At the end stood King Mongkut, regal and tall, his piercing black gaze sweeping over the area.

She couldn't help but keep her gaze pinned on him as he descended. When he was halfway down, he looked up but still did not see her. The agony of watching him walk past was nearly incapacitating. She desired nothing more than to run to him and shower him with kisses.

But Anna was still Anna, composed and refined in her gown, and she curtseyed as everyone else around her did even though the king was quite far from her. She knew he would not see her until probably after dinner during the dancing. She was determined to dance with him again, to touch him and make him see that she was still his after all the time that had passed since she left.

When the king had signalled for everyone to sit, Anna carefully sank into her chair, managing to sit without crumpling the skirt of her gown. Her hands trembled with anxiety so she gripped the fabric of her dress to hide it. Lord Bedingfield attempted to engage her in conversation once again, and she discovered that he was not only snooty, but he was mildly misogynistic as well. The elder gentleman did not approve of women like her, that is to say, women who were opinionated and were not afraid to voice such opinions.

She resolved herself to silence for the rest of dinner because Emmeline was occupied in several different conversations, all of which were interesting, but Anna's attention was not focused on them. Just as Anna thought she would be left to her own devices, she realized with a jolt that she would also get to see the children tonight, since Miss Hardcastle had announced that she had put together a performance for the party.

* * *

"Ah, here they come, Your Majesty." Christianna beamed a little overzealously at the king. Mongkut granted her one of his small smiles in return, but he shifted his attention from the young Englishwoman to his children who were reporting onto the pseudo-stage in front of the long dining table. They marched in hand in hand, arranging themselves into four haphazard lines in preparation for their impending performance. Chulalongkorn stood out in front, carrying himself proudly without any of the arrogance he once retained when he was younger. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, I bid youthe warmest welcome on behalf of seventy brothers and sisters. We are here to sing to you this evening, please enjoy the show."

At the end of the prince's speech, he stepped back into his line and was given a gracious round of applause from everyone at the table.

Promptly, the children launched into their medley, all of their sweet voices carrying through the air. There were quite a few who were noticeably out of tune and some were too nervous to even remember the words, but nevertheless the spectacle was quite endearing, especially to their father.

Christianna saw the king's delight and felt a savage pride consume her. Though she began as a bashful governess, she had recently grown into a more scheming woman when it came to the king. She believed she could win his heart, although she did not love him, she merely wished to ingratiate herself with him in order to obtain status. Much to Christianna's frustration, Mongkut had not shown any signs of interest in her. He only stopped by to check on his children's progress in their school work, never to talk to her about anything other than his children.

She was not to be put off though. She was confident in her charms, she'd have him in her toils within the next few weeks.

"That was an excellent program, Miss." Mongkut complimented her cautiously as the children filed out to go to bed. Lady Thiang and the other wives were sheperding them back into the palace as the guests applauded them with hearty vigour.

"They are your children, Your Majesty, excellent in every way. Just like their father." Christianna demurred with glowing eyes.

Mongkut surveyed her appearance with a detached attitude. He did not see anything desireable in her, her pursuit of material wealth was far too obvious in the faux-sweetness of her gaze. She was perhaps considered a classical beauty, blessed with a straight nose, vivacious eyes and pleasant lips, but her demeanor was so off-putting that he could not see the beauty without being biased.

"You mean to flatter king, Miss. You are very forward, are you not?" Mongkut asked with an air of finality. He reached for his glass to drink some wine.

Christianna took this as encouragement, she jumped at the chance to flirt.

"I think that all women should be forward with Your Majesty. Unless they have good cause to haste away, of course."

An expression of irritation flashed through the king's eyes at that, he really was not pleased by his employee's attempts at coquetry.

"'And would you haste away, Miss Hardcastle?" He nearly growled.

She looked visibly shaken as she replied.

"Never too fast, Majesty."

Mongkut put down his glass and stood suddenly, all other conversations ended once he rose to his feet.

"My honored guests, I believe it is time for dancing." He motioned to the musicians to play, they obliged immediately and played a lilting waltz.

Christianna smiled uncertainly at him, inwardly hoping that he would hold his hand out to her, and that she would be the envy of all the women there that night.

Unfortunately for her, the king selected his head wife as his first partner. The handsome couple sauntered down the steps and onto the marble floor, moving in perfect time with each other. Mongkut had long since learned how to dance gracefully in European custom, as well as Lady Thiang.

"Mongkut, I have something to tell you." She said in Siamese once they were far away from the rest of the guests.

His feet moved to the beat, he glided effortlessly as the music played. A frown bent his brow.

"Yes?"

Lady Thiang seemed to stare at something behind him before she looked him in the eye again.

"Ma'am Anna is here."

He stopped and stood dead still after that.

He looked to be on the verge of one of his infamous thunderstruck rampages as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I do not lie, husband, for I myself have spoken to her this evening. She would like to see you."

Mongkut swallowed thickly as he tried to comprehend this. Shock rattled his nerves, he fought to compose himself.

"She was not invited. How is this possible?"

Lady Thiang sighed. "She accompanied one of the English ladies here, she was indeed invited."

"I must see her." -Was all he could say.

"She is right there." Lady Thiang laid a gentle hand on his forearm as she pointed toward where Anna sat, alone.

Mongkut squinted and darted his gaze around at first, but before long, he was able to spot her with the help of his wife. His eyes feasted upon the sight of Anna, it felt as if he could finally breathe again after so many months of holding his breath. Longing surfaced from the lake of otherwise dormant emotions in his breast, he missed her so much that it almost choked him.

"I must go to her, Thiang." The king said quietly, tears forming in his eyes.

Lady Thiang loved him far too much to deny him what he wanted most, so she gave him a small push in the right direction without another word. He strode through the other dancing couples unhestatingly, dashed up the stairs and made his way down the length of the table.

Blood thrummed in his temples and pulsed throughout his veins with adrenaline. He could not believe this miracle, if this was an elaborate hoax being played on him, he preferred to unveil it sooner so as to make the unbearable happiness of seeing her disappear and he could retreat into his world of hollowness once more.

* * *

"Anna?" He queried tentatively. 

She startled at the sound of his voice, turning to face him immediately with wide eyes.

He must have gasped when she looked at him straight, there was something completely different about this woman, although it was undoubtedly still his Anna. Her jawline was rounder, cheeks pinker, eyes brighter, she looked curvier than he recalled. Her figure had filled out nicely, breasts fuller and hips rounded in a way that made him think of all the times he had explored her delicious body with his own two hands.

"Your Majesty," She stood and curtseyed with her head bowed.

When she raised up once again, he found that he was at a complete loss of what to say.

"How...How have you been?"

A smile flitted across her lips as her eyes flicked up at him, that expression he missed so much displayed clearly in front of him. He wanted nothing more than to sweep her up against him and ravish her until he could absorb her as much as possible.

"I have been very well, Majesty. I hope the same can be said for yourself."

He nodded mutely. Then he piped up, "Why did you not write to me?"

The subtle fluctuation in his tone plucked at her heart strings.

"I did, Majesty. Several times, in fact. Last month I believe I sent at least three letters."

His eyebrow shot up in surprise.

"I never received anything."

"Mail does get lost, you know." She supposed. A thought occurred to her. "I know I wrote, but what of you? I have not received anything from you, Your Majesty."

"I have sent dozens of letters, Anna, none of them were ever answered." He said, eyes staring at heraccusingly.

At her genuine bafflement, Mongkut huffed in indignation. He wished he could make her see how agitated he had been, and make her feel all the horrible things he felt when he realized that no matter how many times he pleaded with her, she was never going to send another word to him again.

"I have not heard anything from you for months, and you abruptly make an appearance at this ball. Do you know how absurd this all seems?"

"Well, if it is that absurd, would you prefer if I left?" She raised her skirt as if she were about to walk away.

Reflexively, Mongkut reached out and grabbed her forearm roughly to stop her from going anywhere.

"We need to talk in private. Everyone is occupied now, no one is watching us."

Anna nodded and followed him quickly into the palace, her hand still clasped within his.

Neither of them noticed the Kralahome, who watched them from the shadows, panic laced with disapproval apparent in his stern features.

* * *

TBC...

* * *

A/N: Review pleaseeeee!!!!!!!!!! 


	11. Misunderstandings

**Title:** Camille

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything except for a character who will soon make her presence known. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long! I would like to bestow a HUUUUUGE thank you to all of you who reviewed. You guys are lovely. I'm on spring break, so this gave me a ton of time to finally write!! Also, I made another Anna and the King fan vid on youtube. The link to my profile on youtube is on my profile page for this site. Check it out, if you wish.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven:** Misunderstandings

* * *

As soon as they entered the palace, Mongkut led her swiftly through the east wing. She was breathing harshly because of his rapid pace, she could barely keep up with him because his legs were so much longer than her own. Nevertheless she hurried along as silently and as fast as she could manage, the need to have some privacy with him was overwhelming.

The halls were empty and silent save for their footsteps, they passed corridor after corridor until finally they came to a balcony where there were shady alcoves that were partially covered by woven tapestries depicting famous scenes of Siamese history. He led her inside one of them and without any warning, he moved forward and kissed her.

Painful familiarity assaulted her senses as he gently claimed her lips. Everything about him was unchanged mostly, a fact that greatly comforted her as she wrapped her arms around his body. He still emanated warmth and smelled faintly of cigars mixed with the scent of something like eucalyptus, the feeling of being near him was an utter aphrodisiac to Anna.

She allowed the kiss to linger, but she forced herself to pull back before she lost her marbles completely.

"I've missed you," Anna admitted softly, her eyes filled with longing.

Mongkut traced the line of her cheek down to her jaw, emotion written on every plane of his expressive face.

"Now that you are here, king does not think letting you go will be possible this time." He tried for humor, but it came out wistfully.

She exhaled sharply as she realized that this was her chance to tell him about all that he missed.

"Your Majesty, because of our ill-managed correspondence, I am unsure of how much you know of my life now."

The king's eyes darkened at that, and his hands slackened in their grip around her.

"I know that you have remarried. Nothing else."

Anna listened to this, partially glad that he did not receive the letter she wrote regarding their daughter. She wanted to tell him personally, now she knew that it would be possible.

"Yes indeed, I married William Ormonde a few months after my return in England."

He averted his gaze in his usual way, yet she was still able to discern a fleeting look of misery in his face.

"Why are you alone, then?"

"We had an enormous disagreement a while ago and I sent him away. We have not spoken since."

He met her gaze again, this time he looked a bit uncertain and even a little insecure.

"Do you love him?"

She could not help but chuckle at this multi-faceted inquiry, unfortunately, he was mistook her mirth and was mildly insulted. He immediately let go of her and moved to stand in the corner of the dark alcove. Anna watched, aghast, as anger settled in his features.

"So you do love him. Why do you flaunt yourself here then? Go and find your husband, there is nothing for you here."

She took three steps toward him, wishing she could take back her previous sentence.

"He is a dear friend, but nothing more. Believe me, I tried to love him. He was good to me and my children, he provided for us and even accepted that I could never love him, up until he grew too frustrated with me and ended up leaving. He is good looking and a well bred Englishman, but there is one thing he lacks." She trailed off, prompting him to look at her.

"And what was that?" The king whispered, inexplicably afraid to hear the answer.

"He is not you." Anna stated simply.

He let out a shuddering breath, leaning his head back against the wall. Just a moment after, he moved forward and embraced her again.

"You are a cruel woman, Anna." He half-laughed, half-cried.

"And you are an insufferable man!" She jibed fondly as she stroked his smooth cheek.

"There has not been a single day when I have not thought of you." He continued, scarcely daring to look away from her for fear that she might disappear into the night.

"For me either," Anna said with a smile. Then, seriousness settled in and she carried on, "Your Majesty, I have something to tell you, something very, very important that I sent within a letter, but apparently it never reached you. So I am obliged to tell you now, or heaven help me, I will carry this secret with me to the grave."

He frowned in confusion.

"What?"

She drew in a breath and withdrew from his arms, wrapping her own around her middle in a self-defensive manner. She paced a few steps first, trying to find a way to word the information that was dying to escape from her throat.

Mongkut respected her personal space, but he too was extremely curious as to what could be so majorly important.

"I... I was ill on my way to London, as you know, and I did not recover until a few months after. I did not realize at the time that it was not a disease, it was not a fever or sickness, I was..." She broke off abruptly, still unwilling to look at him. Anna sagged against the wall, a suspicious moistness forming in her eyes.

"Anna," He murmured, seeking to comfort her, but she raised a hand to stop his approach.

"No, please, Majesty let me finish. You need to hear everything."

He relented and stood back.

"The shock from leaving you was so great that it threatened to overwhelm me. I felt I was slowly wasting away the more time passed, I wanted nothing more than to simply be with you. I did not know that a seed of life had been planted within me before I departed..." Anna turned away from him, fearful of his reaction. He was silent, so she took this as a cue to keep on speaking.

"I was pregnant when I left Siam." Her voice was quieter than the footsteps of a butterfly, he barely caught them.

"_What?_" He barked, disbelieving of what she had just told him.

"...I carried your child to term and I gave birth to a healthy baby girl."

The king was absolutely speechless. He opened and closed his jaw, trying to come up with the right words to say, but words utterly failed him. Anna could not control her tears any longer and allowed them to flow bitterly down her cheeks.

"She has my eyes, and your hair. She is a stunning blend of us both." Anna pressed on, attempting to prod some kind of reaction out of him.

She waited tensely before he finally spoke, his words slicing through the thickening silence.

"You had a child, and you never told me?" There was such devastation in his voice, it made her wince.

"I _did_ try, Majesty, believe me, I sent so many letters! I honestly thought you knew and were purposely evading my missives. I thought you did not care for me or our daughter since you did not respond."

He narrowed his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair, leaving it slightly ruffled.

"I said this before, king will say it again: I never received any letters."

She sighed exasperatedly and shrugged.

"I wanted so much to tell you in person about it. I hoped you would be happy."

He laughed, but it was a sound that held no joy.

"Happy? Happy to know that I have fathered an illegitimate bastard by an Englishwoman? Happy to know that I will never be able to acknowledge the child is mine? Are you sure that I am the father?"

Anna winced as she felt a tiny piece of her heart die. The disappointment and rejection he dealt her left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth, she wanted nothing more than to dig herself a ditch and bury herself within it. Her chin trembled involuntarily as she fidgeted with her arms awkwardly. The king could visibly see her careening out of control and the mild spark of anger inside him was immediately quenched.

He wanted to hold her again, but reluctance kept him still. He settled for making amends through words.

"I am sorry. I...I did not intend to hurt you. I was so disbelieving, Anna, you have to understand. I still am, a little." Mongkut murmured as soon as she regained her composure. Her eyes softened when she discerned the genuine compassion in his tone. She forgave him silently, simply grateful that she was with him and that they were together.

"Do you wish to see her? Just once, hold her as if she were your legitimate child." She whispered with her eyes closed as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"If I could I would have both of you live with me," He said truthfully.

"Don't speak of things like that. They get us nowhere."

He grinned down at her.

"Still concerned with the destination rather than the journey?"

She gave a half chuckle-half sniffle at that reference to one of their conversations from long ago.

"I suppose."

"Will you be able to visit tomorrow?"

She pursed her lips in response.

"Yes, but won't it be rather indiscreet if I were to just arrive with a baby on my hip on the front steps of this palace?"

"I shall enlist Lady Thiang's help. She is the only one we can trust."

Anna averted her gaze from him.

"I feel so guilty when I think of her."

"She knows her place, Anna. Do not fret."

"If only we could be together without the secrecy and deception." She sighed wistfully.

"Now which one of us is being impossible?"

This elicited a soft laugh from her, a bubble of warmth wrapped itself around her spine. His hand came up to rest on her stomach, tracing gentle patterns above the fabric of her gown.

"Did you really bear me a child? In this small space, you carried another life that was created by the two of us?" Mongkut queried, his eyes rapt on her changed body that could have only been the result of nothing other than a true pregnancy.

"Yes I did, Your Majesty. And I have known no greater pleasure than to have given birth to your baby." Anna placed her thin hand over his.

He smiled tenderly, eyes shining with repressed tears.

"Did your husband hold your hand?" Mongkut asked, feeling a sharp pang of jealousy shoot through him as he tried to imagine William Ormonde at Anna's bedside.

"No, he waited outside. I daresay he felt rather guilty." Anna's eyes seemed unsure of whether she should go on so he promptly asked why.

"He caused me to give birth prematurely. To make a long story short, I had gotten very angry with him when he tried to leave the house and tried to chase him down the steps. I slipped and fell, the injury induced labor pains."

He looked half upset, half awed.

"It was actually a very difficult task. Would...Would you like to hear about it?" She asked timidly. He caressed her hand and told her yes.

"Well, the process lasted for eight hours, and the contractions were utter agony, if I do say so myself."

Getting Anna Leonowens to admit she was uncomfortable was like trying to get the Kralahome to admit to being a closet crossdresser.

"You are alright, now, Ma'am? Anna, tell me that you are alright." He murmured as he traced the shell of her ear with his fingers. There was such intense agony in his eyes, she knew not what to say to alleviate his pain.

"Yes, of course I am, love. I am completely healed now."

This seemed to lessen his anguish somewhat, he was silent for a beat and then he asked her another question.

"What is her name?"

"Her name is Camille."

Despite himself, the king was compelled to laugh.

"A French name for my daughter?"

She giggled too, now that she thought of it.

"Somewhat ironic I suppose. But my other children have French names too, so I thought I shall keep to the trend."

He let his hands wander from her belly slightly higher, up her rib cage but avoiding her breasts. He settled his large hand on her neck as he lowered his face to hers for a long sought-after kiss. His tongue parted her lips, causing her to moan softly. His other hand was covering the small of her back as he kissed her. His senses were rejuvenated, he felt as a parched man did who happened to stumble into an oasis after months of struggling through vast desert. Kissing Anna restored his vitality and filled him with indescribable satisfaction.

When Mongkut pulled away to breathe, he rested his forehead against hers as she struggled to maintain self control.

"Your Majesty, we are only separated from the outside world by a thin tapestry. Anyone might catch or hear us."

"I do not care."

He kissed her again, more roughly this time, yet after a few moments, he was compelled to pull away.

"You still affect me the same way, Ma'am. Is it not amazing?" Mongkut marveled softly.

She glowed, but sadness soon wove its way into her eyes.

"This party will not last forever, Majesty. This may be the only time we have left."

Both fell quiet once again, both desperately wished there was a way to postpone time somehow so they did not have to worry about parting.

"Come tomorrow. I order it. Bring Camille, please, Anna." He said with a trace of authority in his smooth voice. For all his suave behavior, she could still see that he battled desire. There was a flame that had been licked, after kissing her, that fire had grown and become something he was not prepared to tame.

She disentangled herself quickly before things got out of hand. He looked put out even though he understood her logic.

"I promise I will," Anna made to leave the alcove, but she paused to look at him once more. "_Chan rak khun, _Your Majesty."

The king grinned and replied in kind, "_Phom rak khun, _Anna. Always remember it."

She smiled back and swiftly pushed aside the tapestry to make a discreet exit. As she moved down the darkened corridor, she had to resist the urge to turn and run right back to him.

* * *

As soon as Mongkut watched Anna leave, he listened to the clicks of her shoes as she disappeared down the hall and back into the party. When he was convinced that it was safe for him to leave, he crept out from behind the tapestry and glanced around at his surroundings. The hall was dimly lit but he could clearly see where he was going. He hurried out into the more populated areas of the palace where many soldiers stood at their posts, hoping that he did not look too disheveled.

The guests were still dancing, the orchestra was still playing a fine tune, and nothing looked amiss.

He stepped out onto the terrace, inwardly relieved that no one seemed to have missed him.

"There you are, Your Majesty." Came the voice of the Kralahome, who mysteriously appeared at his right side.

Apparently, he had spoken too soon.

"Yes, I had just gone to greet Lord Rochford. He does much trade with our merchants, according to him."

Mongkut prided himself in being a smooth liar, the Kralahome did not blink. However, considering the man was not allowed to bat an eyelash in protest of anything the King did, it was not surprising the Prime Minister pretended not to notice.

"Of course, Majesty. I wonder if you happened to see Mrs. Leonowens this evening? I met her earlier toward the beginning of the evening."

If the king was a smooth liar, the Prime Minister had practically turned it into an artform. He managed to angle for information without arousing suspicion most of the time, this was a skill necessary in his job. Most did not even know he was using it against them.

"I did not. And isn't it 'Mrs. Ormonde' now?" Mongkut deflected nicely. He kept his gaze steady on the multitude of dancing couples as the Kralahome frowned slightly.

"I suppose so, yes. I...I don't see her anymore, though I am quite sure she was here. She seemed to disappear just when you did. Isn't that strange?"

Mongkut fought a flash of panic as well as a surge of irritation.

"What are you implying?"

The Kralahome retained a look of stony impassiveness.

"Majesty, I implore you to allow me to speak with you in private."

He bristled indignantly and clasped his hands behind his back as he observed his mule of a prime minister.

"I am host tonight, and I must not desert my guests."

The king swept out onto the floor with Lady Thiang in his arms once more, his instincts telling him that the Kralahome knew something he did not. Mongkut found it was a sensation he decidedly did not like.

TBC...

* * *

A/N: Phew!! That was extremely difficult to write. I hope I didn't mess up the Thai! Please tell me what you think.

I love you (in Thai) from a female speaker

I love you (In Thai) from a male speaker


	12. And Baby Makes Three

**Title**: Camille

**Disclaimer: **I own absolutely nothing except Camille and William Ormonde. Everything else is property of Fox and Andy Tenant. Don't sue please, no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay, so here's the next chapter finally! I am so grateful to all of my reviewers for your kind words and inspiring comments, I hope this lives up to your expectations. R&R and most of all, enjoy!!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: **And Baby Makes Three

* * *

(The next morning)

"Wait just a moment, Anna, did I hear what I think I heard?"

Emmeline sat in her dusty rose armchair in the sitting room of her house, holding her embroidery in both hands as Anna stood before her.

"Yes, milady, I would greatly appreciate it if you helped me. If you came with me to the palace, it would make it seem a lot less suspicious. This may be the only way for me to bring Camille with me."

Emmeline frowned deeply and finally deemed Anna's argument important enough for her to put her sewing down. She removed her spectacles and glanced up at the younger woman.

"Dear, I know you well enough to assume why it is so important for the king to see your Camille. I shall not voice my opinion or dare to venture on with my assumptions, but I would like to at least have some idea of what the brouhaha is all about-" She stopped to take a breath while Anna wore a look of sheepishness on her face.

"I thank you for your immense consideration, madam, as well as your hospitality to me. This is the last thing I ask of you, I must do this before my chance is gone."

Emmeline sighed, raising her fingers to massage the bridge of her nose. She looked like she was having a strong headache. Anna hoped with every fibre of her being that her companion would agree to help her.

"Well?"

"Yes, yes, alright. We shall go soon, you best get your little one ready for the journey."

Anna beamed happily and clapped her hands together. When Emmeline rose, she immediately hugged her in thanks.

"Thank you ever so much, milady. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"I hope that when he sees his daughter, it is the most joyful moment the two of you share together." Emmeline murmured kindly.

Anna's eyes widened imperceptibly at that.

"How do you know?"

Emmeline grinned. "I have a sixth sense for these things, you should have guessed by now."

Anna chuckled and then went to fetch Camille.

* * *

They took Emmeline's carriage to the palace that afternoon. The day was blazing hot, Anna was constantly worried about Camille as the coach rumbled along the road. She placed the infant in a wicker basket to conceal her, but since they were not at the palace yet, she kept the lid wide open. Camille was not complaining since she slept the whole time yet Anna kept monitoring her daughter's breathing.

She wore one of her newer gowns that was made of lightweight cotton. It was slate gray and was embellished by baroque style buttons. She also wore one of her black frilled bonnets over her hair, which was arranged half up, half down. She took Emmeline's advice on applying the faintest stain of rouge over her lips and cheeks since she was rather fair.

Camille was swathed in lightweight cotton as well, the becoming green of her little gown set off the child's black hair and milky skin very nicely. Anna could not be prouder of her little bundle, she unconsciously clung tighter to the basket as the carriage lumbered along down the road.

The reached the palace in about an hour, the streets were crowded and dusty. She peered outside, glimpsing the soldiers at the front gates. One of them stepped forward as they slowed to a halt. She looked at Emmeline uncertainly. Luckily, her friend picked up on her nervousness and took the lead in a smooth, inconspicuous manner.

"What business do you have here in palace, Ma'am?" The heavy-set guard queried in heavily accented English.

"We have been invited by the Lady Thiang to tutor the wives of His Majesty in European ettiquette. I am sure that if you let us through, the gracious lady is already awaiting our arrival most anxiously."

Anna inwardly marveled at the story Emmeline made up off the top of her head. She sat as still as death, hoping that Camille would not choose that very moment to wake up and begin crying at the strange atmosphere. She trained her eyes on her lap, trying not to attract the guard's scrutiny.

After a few more moments of thick silence, the man gave a wave of his arm and the gates were pulled open to them. Emmeline thanked the guard profusely in that endearing manner of hers and just like that, they were moving forward once more. They were driven to the front steps of the palace where Lady Thiang and a few other ladies-in-waiting stood on the scorching marble floor, all of them shaded by servants with enormous fans and umbrellas.

The carriage came to a full stop, prompting Anna to step out onto the ground. She was helped out by one of the dark male servants, he smiled at her kindly as she greeted him in Siamese. Anna turned around and fetched the basket, still not ready to reveal what was inside. Emmeline was helped out of the carriage as well, she immediately went to greet Lady Thiang with warm kisses on both of her cheeks.

"Welcome to palace, Lady Stanton and Mrs. Ormonde. Please, come this way." She grinned with her usual radiance. Thiang's skin was nearly flawless, her high cheekbones and straight nose gave her a look of almost perfection. In a moment of rare insecurity, Anna wished she was not so pale and English. She then half turned to glance at Emmeline who strode gracefully beside her and realized that she was just as English as she was. She squared her shoulders and stood a little more erect.

They reached the top of the stairs and entered the palace, where the halls were peacefully silent as they padded through. Lady Thiang led both of them as well as the rest of her entourage into the harem's gardens and then into a spare reception room where Anna was to wait until the king was free to see her.

"I suppose I shall accompany Lady Thiang while you remain here. I do not know when we shall leave, so we will have to play it by ear, alright?" Emmeline asked.

"Of course, and thank you so much, milady." She embraced her friend with one arm, the basket hanging off her other forearm.

"You are welcome, dear. For the thousandth time." Emmeline winked as Anna blushed.

With that, she exited the room with the rest of the ladies-in-waiting who were ready to cater to her every need. Lady Thiang and she were the only ones left in the room. The other woman's eyes were fixed upon the basket she held in her arms, Anna was able to hear her unspoken question quite clearly.

"I take it His Majesty has informed you of the truth behind my visit?" Her words were thick with something between fear and guilt.

Thiang nodded as her cherry lips formed into a small, sad smile.

"Yes. He told me you bore him a daughter. Do you have her in there?"

Anna moved to the sofa, where she gently set the basket down and opened the lid. She reached inside and lifted a now awake Camille out and into her arms. Camille smacked her little lips and frowned. Lady Thiang was compelled to giggle at the tiny girl's distinct resemblance to her husband.

"Oh, she's a beauty, Ma'am." She crooned as she stepped closer to Anna.

"I love her very much." Anna's voice hushed over at that. She smoothed Camille's hair over and kissed her on top of her head.

"And you love him very much still, don't you?"

Anna exhaled and met Thiang's eyes. "I love him and always will. I tried to forget him when I was away, but I find that it impossible."

"I understand Ma'am. I've loved him for half my life. I cannot imagine my world without him."

The two women, polar opposites, stood in each other's presence but found neither could bring themselves to feel any jealousy. For the difference was that, even though they both loved the king, the king only loved one of them truly in return and there was no question which one it was. Somehow, Lady Thiang could not bring herself to hate. Rather, she felt glad that Mongkut would get another chance with the woman he loved. It would be better for him in the long run.

"His Majesty is meeting with some delegates from Cambodia. I believe they will be another hour or so. I shall check on their progress Ma'am. Will you wait here for meantime?"

"Yes, we'll be fine."

"Are you thirsty or hungry? I can summon something from the kitchens if you or your Camille are hungry?" Thiang offered kindly.

"No, no, dear, we're perfectly alright. Will you please inform me when His Majesty is finished, though?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Give me a few moments," Thiang dismissed herself from the room and left Anna with her thoughts.

* * *

The king did not finish until three hours after her arrival. She was growing very impatient, she allowed Camille to crawl on her hands and knees on the carpeted floor as she watched and paced agitatedly. Maybe Lady Thiang forgot to tell him about her? No, that was not likely to have happened. Maybe the conference was still dragging slowly on, and he was dying to make his exit to see her.

Whatever the case was, Anna's frayed nerves could not take very much more of this. She wrung her hands together, fiddled with her skirts, readjusted her hair and readjusted her daughter's hair until finally the door creaked open mildly. She jumped and immediately turned around to prepare herself.

King Mongkut stepped in, alone thankfully, and such happiness spread across his face at the sight of his love. She could see it plain as day, that he was glad to see her again. The man took a few lengthy strides toward her with outstretched arms, which she gladly launched herself into. Wordlessly, she buried her face in his neck and inhaled lightly, enjoying the familiarity of his musky, masculine scent. He chuckled in his signature rumbly way and wrapped his arms around her waist and back.

"Good afternoon, Anna. Are you feeling well?" He asked as he stepped back to look her over.

"Yes, but just very anxious to see you."

"Is it too early in the day for king to say 'I love you'?" Mongkut murmured, stroking her cheek softly.

"It's never too early, Your Majesty." Anna grinned as she leaned into the palm of his hand.

Just then, a gleeful giggle sounded from behind her, causing him to frown in surprise. Realization struck him as Anna moved her skirts to reveal a little girl, sitting down and waving her arms in the air. He gasped as he laid his eyes on her, he no longer doubted Anna at all. One look at this infant confirmed it all; her origins could not be questioned.

"Is she-" His voice cracked slightly with emotion, "Is she _mine_?"

Anna lifted Camille into her arms and brought her to her father. Camille gurgled and reached for him, wiggling her delicate fingers in a demanding way.

"Yes, she is indeed. Your Majesty, meet your daughter, Camille."

Mongkut could not keep the giddy smile off of his face, or the tears out of his eyes. Despite his usual façade of calm collectedness, he was overcome with such feeling, such love for this tiny being that was born from their passionate union.

"May I hold her?" He whispered.

She obliged him by transferring her daughter's weight from her arms into his larger, stronger ones. Mongkut held her carefully, snugly, so that she was flush against his broad chest. Camille stared curiously into the King of Siam's eyes, silent for a moment before she started giggling again. She reached up to his face and unabashedly traced his features, his eyelids, nose, mouth and cheeks. He remained grinning the whole time, but a few tears escaped onto his cheeks.

Anna stood there, stock still as she watched her lover hold their baby for the first time. The sight was so emotionally gratifying, she never believed that he would ever know of the fruit of their union, much less actually see her. Her heart fluttered when she noticed he was crying as he held Camille.

"She is beautiful." He managed to choke out. "So beautiful. Just like her mother."

"Just like her father." She emphasized. She moved nearer to them, placed her arms around him and Camille, who remained in between her teary-eyed parents. Mongkut kissed Camille's cheek and then Anna's, his soul reverberating with unbelievable joy at the fact that finally, he and Anna were together with their child, as a small family. The sadness was staved off, he did not care to remember the fact that this was temporary and that the two most important women in his life would be gone by the evening.

"I do not want you two to leave me, please do not leave…" He begged as he tightened his grip slightly around his child. Camille fidgeted, a bit perturbed by the intensity of Mongkut's grasp. "I want to see her grow up into a beautiful young woman, I do not want to miss anymore of her childhood. I want you to raise her with me, Anna, I want us to be a family. I love you both so much that it pains me to even think about your departure."

Anna sighed. This was the age-old dilemma that always haunted both of them. And now that Camille was involved, it was that much harder to reply.

She drew in a breath, ready to try and form a response when, all of a sudden, the door was thrown open and the Kralahome came bursting inside, Lady Thiang protesting behind him. He looked positively livid, his face was red with fury and the muscles of his jaws clenched and unclenched constantly. He stalked over to Anna and immediately began to speak.

"What are you doing here, Mrs. Ormonde? You, of ALL people, have no _business here in PALACE!"_ He all but bellowed. The sound alarmed young Camille and she began to cry, loudly and she hid her face in Mongkut's neck.

Anna as well as Mongkut looked positively outraged at his treatment of her. "How dare you speak to me in this way!"

The Kralahome was oblivious of his sire's glare, he could only focus on the catastrophe that had already occurred.

"You impudent whore, to have brought your bastard here to the Chakri monarch and claim that it is his child! You harlot! You-"

By then, Mongkut had had enough. He silenced his prime minister by punching him squarely in the jaw, the hysterical Camille tucked securely in his other arm.

The Kralahome was a sturdy man but he was getting older, and as a result, he tumbled to the floor under the impact of the blow. Anna was angered into speechlessness, but Mongkut had quite a few words to say. Unfortunately for the Kralahome, he sealed his fate by letting some vital information slip.

"I tried, believe me, I tried to keep this from happening! To preserve the reputation of this family…I kept HER letters hidden for so long and so successfully too. How was I to prevent her actually coming to the country again? And now this? I cannot believe this-"

Mongkut froze at that. He narrowed his eyes menacingly at his prime minister, who had only just realized that he had said far too much.

"You kept her letters from me?"

Anna gasped at that. All the pieces fell into place suddenly. Sickening realization gripped her like a cold hand around her heart when she looked at the older man's guilt-stricken face.

"I did, Majesty. I was interested only in your wellbeing. Your involvement with her proved to be dangerously distracting. The people of this realm need your head to be focused on _them_, not your English mistress and now your hybrid child!" The Kralahome cried convincingly as he massaged where the king had hit him.

"You shall not address Mrs.Ormonde in that tone of voice, or refer to my child like that.

How long did you

Intercept her letters?" Mongkut demanded to know in an authoritative voice.

When the Kralahome did not answer, Mongkut stomped his foot in impatience.

"Tell me, I command you to answer or I will remove you from office!"

"I intercepted her letters for seven months. Occasionally I allowed the ones that were less flowery to pass through to you, but it was my intention for you to get over loving her, for the sake of your kingdom."

Every one of them was silent, even Camille ceased her sniffling. All were surprised when Lady Thiang, who stood silently the whole time, stepped forward and delivered an intense slap to the Prime Minister's cheek.

"That was for ruining the lives of two deserving people!" She shouted, the most angry Anna had ever heard the normally serene woman. It was amusing as well as terrifying.

The Kralahome gaped at the Queen Consort's audacity and then glanced at the King, whose eyes glittered hard as onyx rocks.

He backed away silently, realizing his place. He bowed in defeat, and then turned and limped out of the room.

Camille opened her eyes then, curiously gazing at the three stunned adults in the room.

"Well, that certainly was interesting." Anna murmured, still reeling from the aftermath of the confrontation. She turned to the king. "I told you I was not lying when I wrote to you multiple times."

Mongkut let out a shuddering breath. "I had no idea he would go that far to keep us apart."

Lady Thiang sighed, her emotions running wildly away with her as well.

"What matters is that we are all here now, alive, healthy and together. I shall see to dinner, alright?" She hoped to smooth things over as quickly as possible. As angry as she was with the Kralahome, she did not want her husband's temper to get the better of him and persuaded him to do something terrible to the old man.

As the willowy queen exited from the room, Camille sensed that it was safe now to relax. What happened next shocked her parents.

"Papa?"

* * *

TBC…

* * *

A/N: Oh my goodness, that was hard to get through. Please review and tell me what you think! Sorry about the wait, I am so busy nowadays…


	13. The Veil of Life

**Title:** Camille

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, or my fic would be canon!! And I am going to say that the Buddhist chants I borrowed from the book "Anna and the King of Siam" by Margaret Landon. They are wonderful and beautiful, I just had to include the Thai.

**A/N:** After much debating, I am finally finishing off this fic! YAAAAAYYYY!! Haha, I am so excited. This chapter broke my heart to write, especially at the end, but I hope that it is a good end. Please read and review!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**: The Veil of Life

* * *

(June, 1868)

Because of his ailing health and steady mental decline, the Kralahome had been retired from service to King Maha Mongkut. Those were the official reasons given to the rest of the court. Only His Majesty and a few others knew the truth. As for Anna and Camille, a solution had not yet been reached. It had been a few weeks since the devastating confrontation and the residual issues were still waiting to be resolved.

It was inevitable that Anna would have to meet with Mongkut yet again, but this time, it was without Camille. They still occupied the Stanton's Bangkok residence. Emmeline had left, claiming she required a change in scenery despite the fact that they hadn't been in the city for too long a time. Anna relented because the house was generously left to her until she decided that she needed it no longer.

This gave her a perfect opportunity to travel to the palace without relative difficulty. Today, she arrived just after sunset so that her presence would be made less obvious. A small boat was sent for her, which she took from the British Consulate beside the river. It was a good half an hour, for the current was flowing against them, and the Chow Phya River was a force to be reckoned with.

Mongkut had sent her a telegram that dictated where they should meet. There was an escort waiting for her at the west gates, leading into the City of Women where the harem resided. The garden was empty and still in the night, the air thick and humid like a blanket of warm darkness. It made Anna feel slightly more guarded if anything.

The Amazon escort wordlessly took her to a spot in the garden that was well hidden by shrubbery and a tree with low lying branches that were adorned with large, waxy leaves. She watched as the woman bowed slightly to her and promptly fled, she couldn't even see her face properly; the only reason she knew her escort had been a woman was that no men save for the King were allowed in the City of Women.

She sighed softly and turned to survey her surroundings. A gasp was torn from her lips when she noticed the dark figure that leaned against the trunk of the tree.

"Who's there?"

The figure stepped forward as she instinctively stepped back. Moonlight that had managed to penetrate the curtain of vines illuminated his face and now Anna realized it was none other than His Majesty.

She dropped to her knees in relief, curtseying customarily. He was still silent when she felt both of his hands on her upper arms, he picked her up easily until she stood upright once more.

"Good evening, Your Majesty." She offered quietly. Her eyes were downcast, he read in her an unfamiliar shyness that had not been present in her disposition since the very early days of their acquaintance. It surprised him greatly.

"Hello, Anna. Are you well?"

Her gaze met his as she replied.

"Quite. And yourself?"

"I am well." He took her hand in his and rested them upon his chest. "How is our child?"

"She is sleeping, as we should be doing at this hour of the night." Anna remarked teasingly. It took her a moment to comprehend the unintentional double meaning of her statement. As a result, his breath hitched and he enveloped her around her waist with his other arm.

"My bed has been cold for very long time." He admitted, his tone hinting at the numerous possibilities that could lead them to that forementioned bed.

Her heart lurched. "You have your wives. Are you telling me that none of those hundreds have been beautiful enough to appease you?"

Mongkut growled in spite of himself, "They are all exquisitely beautiful, and I love none of them."

"So who _do_ you love, Your Majesty?" Anna queried daringly. She tilted her head up in such an irresistible manner that he had no doubt she already knew the answer to her own question.

"No one. No one at all." He conceded to play her game, wondering where this would take them. It must have been the atmosphere of the evening; the sweetness of the air induced such flirtatiousness between the both of them.

"Really? Is that so?"

"Yes. Well, there was a woman who once captured heart of king, but she has been gone for so long that king has rather forgotten how he feels."

"Perhaps Your Majesty simply needs to be reminded," Anna demurred sensuously before she boldly pressed her lips over the skin of his smooth neck. It only took a delicate peck for his passion to be ignited. His previously immobile hands had made quick work of the buttons and ties on the back of her dress, next thing she knew, she was naked from her waist up. She gasped in astonishment, her chest heaving as he pulled back to take in her appearance.

"Why do you always insist on me undressing first?" She questioned amusedly.

"Why must you always feel the need to talk?" countered the King.

Then, he kissed her intently, his demanding lips, teeth and tongue engaging her in an erotic dance that made her insides feel like hot jelly. Her own hands pressed tightly on his back. Mongkut shifted them so that her own back rested against the surprisingly soft tree trunk, she was subject to wait for whatever he had in store for her.

Waves of arousal washed over her, making her vision go in and out of focus. All she could see was the ardor written in the lines of his face, that handsome face that had haunted her so many times in her dreams and thoughts.

He raised a hand to her cheek, caressing her skin, it moved lower and lower, passing her collarbone and the valley between her breasts. Her breath stopped in her throat.

"Anna, I want you so much-"

She groaned against her will and grasped the trunk behind her with trembling hands.

"I've given myself to you, love. You've always had me."

He remembered when she had said that to him for the very first time and was touched by her words. He pushed her skirts and petticoats up her thighs and was pleased that she wore no irritating undergarments tonight. The wantonness of the sight made him hard, she wore nothing beneath because she predicted he would want to have her.

"You seductress!" He whispered laughingly.

She giggled softly herself as he undid his britches hurriedly. However, all amusement had vanished when she felt his stiff organ upon her inner thigh. Rational thought became nearly impossible. All she could contemplate was her impending pleasure.

Finally, his erection was free from his britches and he wasted no time in rubbing the tip of it along her moist centre. She groaned, wondering if she'd be able to restrain any more of her vocalizations during their lovemaking.

"You must be silent, Ma'am. We must not wake anyone up." The King's eyes danced in the moonlight.

"I shan't make another noise, I grant you that," Anna huffed. She tightened her legs around him in an attempt to take him in.

"Slowly, darling…Do not move."

He seemed to be stalling mysteriously. Anna could not quite make out his expression in the darkness, yet the faint moonlight illuminated his eyes, which were dark as ever and filled with intense feeling. She smiled at him because she felt more happiness now than she had felt in any of the previous months of her life.

"Your Majesty, I want nothing more than to move. I want to please you…"

He groaned and finally, penetrated her fully. The act caused both to gasp, the feeling of utter wholeness was indescribably euphoric. The world seemed to fall away after their joining, as if Time had taken pity on the couple and allowed them a few precious hours for their pleasure.

Later, after their lovemaking, the two of them had managed to scrape up enough self control to begin redressing. Mongkut helped Anna back into her shift and gown, despite his penchant for dropping butterfly kisses upon her shoulders, he had more or less fixed the damage he'd done when he practically tore her clothes off earlier. And in return, she made sure not a thread was out of place on his garments, which was quite a feat considering the sparseness of light.

Now that they were both fully clothed and coherent, they stood before each other with the same questions in their minds, "_What now?"_

Neither felt that they could leave again, it would be too much to have to go through the agony once more.

Anna seated herself comfortably upon a massive boulder beside the tree and contented herself with gazing at the man she loved with all of her heart.

He looked noticeably older, wings of silver were beginning to creep in at his temples. She rather liked it though, it made him look even more distinguished than he already did. Before long, she realized that she was staring at him and he had picked up on it.

"You look wonderfully satiated, madam. Like cat that has just caught largest canary." Mongkut was amused to remark.

"I am almost bursting to the seams with joy, Your Majesty." Anna smiled genuinely at him with a glow in her eyes, "I never believed I would see you again in my lifetime. I never thought you would hold me with tenderness after learning that I bore you a daughter. And here we are, after all this time. I cannot help this euphoria that has come over me."

He had sidled up to her and took her smaller hands in his.

"We must decide how this is to continue." The king's tone held seriousness this time.

She was glad that he too had not wanted to sever any further connection with her. Hope filled her spirit when she realized that he wanted to continue seeing her, knowing that he had fathered her child.

"I am married only for appearance's sake, and I have three beautiful children living with me in Burma. My husband has left me to pursue things which I have no interest in, but I am not unhappy because I've many kind friends and a love that is everything to me."- recited the Englishwoman quietly.

At that, the King kissed her fingers and began to speak.

"I too am married for appearance's sake, to hundreds of women most of whom I do not know well. I am King of Siam, father of the nation, and of a young girl named Camille. My son Chulalongkorn, who I also love dearly, along with the rest of my children, Camille included, are the rays of light that brighten my life. And you, Madam Anna Leonowens, are the goddess who opened King's eyes to Western ideals and principles. You are the woman who stayed beside me through best and worst of times, infuriated me, kissed me, loved me and came back to me despite odds of such."

Her eyes were full of tears by his last sentence.

"Why is life so impossible?" She whispered, afraid someone would barge in on their intimate conversation.

"It is the will of Buddha that I should love you so fully, ma'am. I daresay it is the same for your Christian God as well."

They shared an earnest chuckle with that. Religion was always a heatedly debated topic between them.

"I am living in the Bangkok residence of the Stantons, as of now." Anna thought to add belatedly, "I am welcome there often, but I feel guilty if I should stay for long periods of time. I must return to Burma to take care of my independent finances and secure my belongings. I believe I could purchase a residence near the Palace once more, given time."

The king nodded thoughtfully.

"I shall have a home readied for you, Anna. However, it shall not be a mansion, for if I granted you such, nobility will immediately grow suspicious of you."

"That is not a crucial issue to me, love. A home is where you are, even if it has only one room."

He grinned at the image as she rolled her eyes, remembering the fuss she made about wanting to live outside the harem when she came to Siam in 1862.

However, he grew serious once more and commented on her possibly being hired as a teacher of his children again. Anna told him that she would love to teach again, but Camille, Louis and Avis were with her and needed just as much attention.

"Perhaps when Camille gets a little older, I might return to teach."

He agreed, of course, and was reminded of his delicate, flowerlike baby. An instant softening came over his expression when he thought of little Camille.

"Anna, I must make a request. I want to see you and our daughter as often as possible without being indiscreet. I…I find that I cannot bear the thought of the both of you away from me for months at a time. Please, come to Bangkok and leave Burma."

"I am touched by your concern and love for Camille. I shall indeed take up residence here once I secure my belongings. I want nothing more than to be near you."

A sudden snap of a twig caused them both to fall deadly silent. They suspected someone of listening in, and that filled them both with fear at the very idea. Mongkut promptly urged her to go back to the gates where the escort was waiting to take her home. She did so, but not before stealing a kiss from her midnight lover.

He watched her dash away into the darkness, leaving him alone and breathless beneath the thick willow tree in the garden.

* * *

Anna did indeed return to dreadful Burma, where she packed her personal items into boxes and sold the furniture at auction. Camille was left with the nurse at Bangkok while Anna journeyed alone to Yangon. It was simpler this way since Anna had to manage a caravan of her things while looking after her other two children. Louis had grown leaps and bounds in the time she had been away. He was now taller than her shoulder and had acquired a lean, striking physique. His sunny disposition had not changed, however, but his skin had grown tan from the tropical sun.

Avis was splendid as well. She had become very adept at running a household and she was confident in all of her skills as a future mem sahib. She had grown into a charming sort of self possession that Anna was amazed by. All in all, she had missed them terribly and showered both their faces with kisses upon arrival at their house.

Before she could bring herself to say goodbye to Burma, Anna was compelled to do one more thing. She forced herself to track down her elusive husband to let him know that she was not going to be there if he ever decided to come home.

In the end, William was not hard to track down because all she had to do was place an inquiry at the British consulate of Burma. They kept records of all military personnel in the country. She went to see William as soon as she could.

He looked so burnt out and exhausted that Anna nearly felt compassion for him. He smiled at her when she had greeted him, though his treatment of her was as if she were nothing more than a cordial stranger.

"I am leaving you, William. The decision has already been settled, I've merely come to you to inform you that I shall not reside here any longer."

He scoffed softly and looked her in the eye.

"Alright, fine by me. I've found myself quite an adequate replacement spouse here and I am enormously happy."

William sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of his words than her. There was a faint look of triumph in her face when she grinned at him.

"So have I, William. Oh, so have I!"

* * *

When Camille reached the age of seven, Anna agreed to return to the palace to tutor Mongkut's children. She was glad to replace the irritating Miss Hardcastle, who had barely been civil when His Majesty himself informed her that her services were no longer needed.

Prince Chulalongkorn had entered the Buddhist priesthood, as was tradition for Siamese kings, and thanks to the teachings of Ma'am Leonowens, he further enhanced his visions of democratic reform for the future of his country. He fondly remembered all that Anna taught him for the whole of his reign.

The Stantons had returned permanently to London, thus putting an end to their travels and diplomatic endeavors. They remained good friends with Anna even after they departed from the Orient.

When they were fully grown, Avis had married a respectable Englishman and Louis had found work in the Siamese military under King Chulalongkorn. They thrived and flourished with their own families, Louis actually married a daughter of a tea merchant named Somawadi. Anna had quite a few grandchildren by the time she was fifty.

As for Anna and the King, they had managed to keep their relationship quiet through the long years. She never told anyone that she and William were separated, she maintained the façade that he was mostly away from home because of his duties as a soldier. In public, they were never anything more than sovereign and subject, but in private, they remained as passionate as they had ever been in the past.

Because of their lack of restraint, Anna had fallen pregnant once again in 1869. The child was presumably conceived when she accompanied that Royal Family to the mountains at Petchaburi to vacation. Most of the nights, the King had come to her and she did not think she was fertile enough anymore to worry about becoming with child. After her initial terror, she spread the story around that her husband William was on leave from duty and they had been trying for a second child.

No one questioned her about it, even the gossiping concubines dared not disrespect their teacher for fear of incurring the King's wrath.

So when the time arrived for the birth, Anna enjoyed a relatively easy delivery and was attended to by the best physicians. She and the King were delighted when they learned that their baby was a lusty boy who they decided to name Malachai, or 'Chai' as he was called by his family and close friends.

Camille and her brother were almost like identical twins because of their proximity in ages. Both were blessed with dark hair and fair skin, but save for Chai's dark eyes. Mongkut loved both completely and adored their mother for the rest of her life.

When Anna passed away at the age of fifty nine due to a horrible case of malaria, Mongkut was said to never have been the same again. His grief was choked initially, he refused to speak to anyone for nearly one month and if he did speak, it was often in anger. He himself was old and weary, he found that he could not face life anymore without his sweet ma'am beside him. No one but Lady Thiang knew for certain why the death of the Englishwoman had elicited such heartfelt anguish in the old king. Everyone simply believed that she was a very loyal and faithful servant to His Majesty as she had been all of her life, her passing on showed the king just how old he was.

Five years passed and still the King wore black. His health was failing and was bedridden from then on.

One day, he summoned his children Camille and Chai to his bedside. They were grown by now, two beautiful beings that were perfect combinations of Anna and him. He had granted them their own apartments and had included them in his will, stating that they were to live in the Palace as long as they desired.

Camille was never publicly declared as the King's daughter, and Chai was never acknowledged as an heir to the throne. Strangely, this had not been a problem for them since they were young children. They accepted their places obediently because they loved their mother too much to hurt her by revealing the truth to the world.

"My beloved children, I wish only to tell you how much I love you. From birth, you both have always been precious to me because of your unique origins, because of your mother.-"

At that, the king stopped short due to a fit of slight coughs. Camille grew alarmed and immediately called for the physician Wongsa to come to the King's sickroom.

When Wongsa arrived, he found that His Majesty still appeared strong despite his occasional bouts ofcoughing. By then, the king resumed his speech,

"I wish to tell you, my children," (The king's way of referring to them no longer raised eyebrows since he had called most people ages thirty and under by this title), "That if I have ever wronged you, you will forgive me in your hearts. _Athamaphap cha pai diau-ni._" (I am leaving now.) The King smiled tranquilly and looked upward to the ceiling. He did not stare blankly, nor was his gaze delirious, he was fully prepared for the eternal calm that awaited him.

Camille burst into tears and clutched at his frail hand while Chai looked despairing yet resigned at his father's words.

Only a few hours later, King Somdetch Phra Paramendr Maha Mongkut had passed away with a peaceful look upon his regal face with his children Chulalongkorn, Malachai and Camille at his side. The chants of the Buddhist monks filled the air as the whole palace went into mourning for His Majesty and immediately dove into preparations for a Royal cremation.

The monks that lined the halls outside the king's sick room began to sing mournfully the traditional Buddhist rituals, "_Sang-khang sara nang gach cha mi."_ (Thou Excellence of perfection, I take refuge in thee.)

"_Nama Pootho sang-khang sara nang gach cha mi." _(Thou who art called Buddha, I take refuge in thee.) They chanted as Camille sobbed into Chai's shoulder.

"_Tuti ampi sang-khang sara nang gach cha mi."_ (Thou Holy One, I take refuge in thee.)

The sun set over Siam as the monks again sang the refrain, "_Te satiya sang-kang sara nang gach cha mi."_ (Thou Truth, I take refuge in thee.)

* * *

There was a blanket of thin white mist everywhere. It was impossible to tell whether one was dreaming, still living, or indeed dead. Everything was surreal and calm as it had always promised to be. Mongkut took several steps forward, but he still felt as if he could be moving back at the same time. Confusion was written all over his face.

He continued walking for what felt like hours. Strangely, he never tired no matter how fast he moved. He felt no fear, only tranquility and mild impatience. Where was he to go? There seemed to be no end to the vast white fog that surrounded him.

A voice suddenly rang out, one that he had not heard in years. His eyes widened imperceptibly as he spun wildly around, trying to locate the source of the sound.

"I am here, Your Majesty."

And there _she_ was, standing before him with a glowing smile. She looked radiant, as she had been in her prime, her face was unlined and her hair showed not a strand of grey.

There were no words to describe the incredible happiness he felt. He moved toward her slowly, fearing that if he rushed to her, she would disappear.

"I have waited for such a long time, my love." Anna whispered.

Tears streamed down his face as he bent down to kiss her.

He pulled away and asked, "Will you stay with me?"

In her trademark manner, she rolled her eyes and laughed. "Of course I will! I often told you that I am yours forever. Quite frankly, I meant it."

He was relieved to hear that, and it must have shown on his face.

"Shall we go?" Anna queried.

He frowned. "Where?"

"Home."

He nodded readily and took her hand. The couple disappeared into the mist, leaving behind the veil of life and departing at last to have their eternal joy.

* * *

**The End**

A/N: OMG it's DONE!! I hope it was believable and not too sappy. Anyway, there will be an epilogue, so stay tuned. It will have the deleted scenes of this fic. (aka moments that would not have fit anywhere, so I compiled them into one or maybe two chapters.) Thank you all SOOO SOOO much for reviewing and for the positive responses that you've given me. All of you readers have inspired me to write this story, I never could have done it without all of the encouragement. Honestly, I didn't think this fic would generate this many responses. So once again, thank you all, and stay tuned for more Anna and the King fics from me!!

Much love,

Sakura's Pointe Shoes


	14. Lily Blossoms

**Title:** Camille

**Summary:** These are the deleted scenes! Snippets of moments that I could not figure out where to put in the actual fic. These are sort of like long drabbles, I suppose, lol. Please read and review.

**Disclaimer:** As usual, I don't own a thing.

* * *

**Scene One:** Lily Blossoms

* * *

For the most part, Christianna Hardcastle minded her own business. She was, after all, a busy woman since she was in charge of the children's education as well as the principal role model for the women of the harem.

She hardly had any time to do things for herself, as a result her resentment carried over into her teaching persona on a daily basis. It was against all protocol and etiquette to complain, so Christianna kept quiet for the most part and bore it.

Today, she happened to be carrying an armful of jarred specimens for her imminent biology lesson to the schoolroom. She had no opportunity to observe the silent beauty of the gardens as she walked briskly down the stone path to the temple that had been converted into a school for her. Preoccupied about the appearance of her hair, Christianna retained a look of pinched annoyance.

The pungent stench of the rotting specimens permeated the air around her, she may have passed out from the horrifying, offensive odor if she had not achieved the miraculous feat of holding her breath the entire time.

Because of the awful smell and the feeling of her hair sticking to her sweaty neck, Christianna was quiclk to relinquish the numerous jars and arrange them on her desktop as she reached the empty classroom. At last, she was rid of the decomposed animal fetuses. Unfortunately, she had noticed that she spilled some of the preserving fluid onto her dress. Upon seeing the yellowish stain, Christianna was compelled to gag. She made a mad dash out of the temple schoolroom and into the gardens.

She ran blindly for a few more moments and then slowed down, the fresh- if a tad humid- air had cleansed her nostrils and lungs. When her breathing returned to normal, she opened her eyes and was surprised by what she saw.

About six or seven feet from her, the King Mongkut was sat upon a stone carved bench before the small pond. He was faced away from her, alone, probably meditating as he stared at the green, murky water and the creatures that inhabited it. Tentatively, Christianna decided to try and creep away before he sensed her presence.

However, before she could make her getaway, a traitor twig snapped beneath her shoe as she backed off. The noise alerted the king, who half turned and instantly knew who it was.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." She simpered sweetly and curtseyed, inwardly ashamed of her messy hair and stained dress. Nevertheless, she decided she should face the proverbial music anyway and hold a conversation with the Siamese monarch. After all, how often did an opportunity like this come along?

"Good afternoon, Miss Hardcastle." His voice was flat and devoid of its characteristic strength, it seemed to be raspy and tinged with sorrow. It made her wonder is she would have been better iff running away like she had wanted to in the first place.

"Your Majesty? Are…Are you alright?" She kept her tone half cautious, half concerned. The man's eyes glimmered suspiciously but Christianna could not be certain because he turned away from her. Despite his melancholy, his posture was still proud and erect.

"Majesty?" She tried again, "Is there something wrong?"

Mongkut looked at her again, his obsidian eyes swept over her plain dress and disheveled hair, grief was apparent in his facial expression. It was as if she had reminded him of something painful, something he could not quite stand to look at. It was a truly curious expression, she thought.

Once again, he said nothing. He merely stared back out at the pond, his attention enraptured by the floating lily blossoms that were drifting slowly past.

"She loved the blossoms…" He whispered hauntingly.

Christianna frowned, she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. She could see how vulnerable the man was though, she decided she should leave him alone to his thoughts once more.

With a polite excuse and curtsey, she promptly dismissed herself. The uneasiness which she felt slowly evaporated as the day passed, but in the early evening she remembered to mention this incident to the head wife, Lady Thiang.

It was then that Christianna learned that today was the death anniversary of the _Fa-ying_, or "The Celestial Princess" as she was fondly called by her father. It was also the day that Mrs. Anna Leonowens had departed from Siam exactly one year ago.

As Christianna lay in her bed that night remembering the look of utter desolation on her employer's face, she wondered if his words pertained to his deceased daughter, Mrs. Leonowens, or both.

* * *

End of scene one.

* * *

A/N: Stay tuned for more!! R and R please!


	15. Two to Tango

**Title:** Camille

**Summary:** This is the second deleted scene. Anna teaches the King to dance.

**Disclaimer:** I own NADA!!Or this would be canon!!

* * *

**Scene Two:** Two to Tango

* * *

It was a bright and warm Tuesday morning at about ten o'clock when Anna was getting dressed for the day. She did not have to report to school to teach however because the King demanded to be taught how to dance in the English manner. Beebe was assisting her in putting on a pale ivory lightweight gown, one she had kept from her time in Bombay. It was made of silk and airy chiffon, thus allowing much more comfort and breathing room compared to her other cotton gowns.

Besides the fact that it was relatively sheer fabric, the dress required no hoopskirt, so her entire person felt extraordinarily lighter. Anna arranged her hair in a comfortable chignon and allowed some of her curls to hang loose around her face.

"You look quite lovely, _memsahib_." Beebe admitted when she was finished with her.

"Thank you, I only hope the King is a fast learner. We have so much ground to cover and so little time! The party is in six days and he hasn't had a free day until today."

The both of them fell silent as they heard Moonshee's cries from downstairs about the King's entourage approaching. Anna shot up from her seat and hurried down to greet the monarch at her door.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," She said pleasantly upon seeing him in her foyer. He had brought with him a myriad of servants of both sexes, as well as a slew of court officials presumably so that they may also learn to dance during the anniversary dinner.

"Ma'am," Mongkut said in his usual warm but not overly zealous tone, "I am ready to begin at once. We have no time to waste."

The look on his face suggested a definite apprehension, as if he had been taught before and decided that he was a far better fighter than a dancer. She almost laughed, but she swallowed her chuckles for fear of offending the poor man.

She graciously led them into her parlor, which had been cleared of most furniture and transformed into a pseudo-ballroom.

"Alright, now, everyone. Gather 'round where you can see me, please and we shall start."

She waited patiently in the center of the room as everyone-servant and noble alike- surrounded her with curious and intent eyes.

King Mongkut stood directly in front of her, looking like a schoolboy who was participating in his very first lesson.

"I believe we shall start with learning the waltz today. Now, the waltz is a fairly common dance in England, and it is usually danced after dinner in European custom. It is an elegant, graceful movement that in theory seems difficult but in practice is quite the opposite."

She positioned her arms as if she were being held by a partner and drew her back straight in perfect poise.

"I shall demonstrate first, and then you all will try it."

Anna began slowly and slightly exaggerated the movement of her legs so that all of them might observe the best they could. She counted aloud for them "One, two, three…one, two, three… one, two, three… See? Not so hard, is it?"

She stopped and instructed them all to pair up. Anna walked about the room making sure everyone had a partner and then with a jolt, saw that His Majesty stood alone with an expectant look on his face. Surely, he did not want to pair himself up with her?

She found her assumption quite wrong when he stepped up and slid one hand over her side and took her hand with his other. She slowly placed her free hand on his broad shoulder, afraid of offending him somehow.

When she had regained her composure, she called out, "And one, two, three…one, two, three…one, two…OUCH!"

She stopped abruptly and pulled away from the king when he had accidentally clobbered her slipper clad foot with his large one. He immediately apologized (quite unexpected of him) and helped her up. The other couples did not know whether to stop and laugh or to keep dancing.

When Anna insisted that she was fine and resumed dancing with him, she found herself quite flustered by the King's strange behavior. Of late, he had been tense and cranky in public but today he treated her with sincere kindness. She tried to focus on counting the steps instead of his handsome face, only inches away from hers…

This time it was the king who shouted in pain and jumped backward.

She had kicked his bare shin in her carelessness. Anna cursed herself with every nasty word she knew as she watched him grasp his leg.

"Oh Your Majesty! I apologize sincerely, I thought I would lead, and-"

"You thought King does not know how to lead? I may not know much about English dances, but king knows how to lead woman such as yourself in most movement." He huffed defensively.

She nearly balked at the audacity of his words. Memories of what they had done the night before made her cheeks flush red. By the look on his face, he had realized what she was thinking of and was equally sheepish.

"I thought I'd make it easier for you, Your Majesty. Very well, you shall lead from now on."

He nodded aggressively, as if he were truly eager to prove himself capable this time, grabbing her a little more roughly than before. She could not stifle the little gasp as he yanked her flush against his lean body.

When he did so, she looked up into his eyes and could have sworn there was a glimpse of fire in the darkened irises. Whatever it was, it was gone in the next moment and she dismissed it as a product of her hypersensitive imagination and wishful thinking.

* * *

A/N: Cute, huh? I like this scene much. PLEASEEEEE tell me what you think of it!


End file.
